You just found out that your child has cancer. And that chemotherapy is part of the treatment plan. Most everyone has heard of...
What is Chemotherapy?
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What Is
What is Radiation?
Radiation therapy is targeted energy used to destroy cancer cells, shrink tumors and/or alleviate certain cancer-related symptoms....
What is an MRI?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Having an MRI does not hurt, and it is safe – no radioactivity is present. It may take up to...
What is a CT Scan?
A CT (or CAT) scan is a diagnostic medical imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images of internal organs, soft tissues, blood...
What is a Blood Transfusion?
A blood transfusion is a routine medical procedure to transfer blood (or a specific component of blood) from one person to another. Blood...
What is Charity Navigator?
When you are in the market for a new refrigerator, you ask your neighbors and friends for recommendations, and maybe even consult Consumer...
What is OSI Connect?
OSI Connect is a free, easy-to-use, invaluable resource for those diagnosed with osteosarcoma Osteosarcoma is a difficult and frightening...
What is a Free DIPG Nurse Navigator?
Rally Kid Tyson (Image Above), brain cancer (2016-2020)Tyson was just two and a half years old when he was diagnosed with DIPG You Are Not...
What Is
What is Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)?
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem—above the back of the neck and connected to the spine—called the pons. The pons is a vital part of the brain, controlling critical bodily functions like breathing, swallowing, blood pressure, heart rate, eyesight and balance. DIPG occurs almost exclusively in children; most often between the ages of four and 11. DIPG accounts for roughly 10-15% of all brain tumors in children. These tumors—called gliomas...
What is a Glioma?
“Glioma” is a general term for a group of tumors that begin in glial cells—the supporting cells of the brain. Gliomas are classified based on their location and by the type of glial cell—astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or ependymocytes—from which they arise. Thus, many different types of brain tumors are classified as gliomas, like astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, brain stem gliomas and glioblastomas. About half of all pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors are gliomas. Gliomas are...
What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow to overproduce a type of white blood cells called lymphoblasts. ALL is the most common type of cancer that affects kids, accounting for roughly 30% of all cases of childhood cancer. Lymphoblasts are immature white blood cells that are responsible for identifying and destroying foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. When someone has ALL, the bone marrow...
What is Retinoblastoma?
In simple terms, retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that develops in the immature cells of the retina. Though it is rare—with approximately 300 children diagnosed in the U.S. each year—it is the most common eye cancer in children. This malignant intraocular cancer rarely occurs in adults. Retinoblastoma can occur in one or both eyes and is caused by genetic mutations in the nerve cells of the retina. The retina is comprised of nerve tissue and is the part of the eye that’s responsible for sensing...
What is Wilms Tumor?
Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that primarily develops in children around the ages of three and four. It’s the most common type of kidney cancer found in kids. Approximately 9 out of 10 kidney cancers in children are Wilms tumors, sometimes known as nephroblastoma. There are two types of Wilms tumors that are classified by their histology, or how they look microscopically: favorable histology and anaplastic histology. A Wilms tumor with favorable histology means that, while the tumor...
Cancer in Teens and Young Adults
Childhood cancer is a big problem. In the U.S. alone, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every school day. But it doesn’t just affect school-age children -- babies, teens, and young adults can get childhood cancer, too. In the last 20 years, thanks to research, many more young children and older adults are surviving their cancers. But that’s not the case for teens and young adults. Teens and young adults are unique. Their cancers are different, their bodies are different, and they face...