Episode Pearls

• Kids just want to be normal! Providing a sense of normalcy and finding joy is crucial for children undergoing cancer treatment.
• Let’s be more intentional about our conversations with patients and parents. Instead of asking “how are you?” perhaps a better approach might be “how can I help?”
• Pediatric cancer research needs more funding. Only 4% of federal funding for cancer research is allocated to pediatric cancers. #morethanfour #morethan4
• You cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself—whether you are a healthcare provider or a parent to a child with cancer—is important in order to provide the best care and support to others.
• Parents and families have insights into how to communicate with their kid. Let’s partner with parents to best understand how to talk to their child about a cancer diagnosis—or any hard news. Leveraging the expertise of other healthcare professionals (looking at you, child life specialists, social workers, psychologists! Y’all are the best!) can help to find the best approach for each kid.

Today’s Podcast Guest

Christine Jurgensen, CEO/Founder, Evan’s Avengers Foundation

In 2016, my son, Evan, was diagnosed with Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia, as he had both Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia as well as Acute Myeloid Leukemia. For 3 years, Evan had numerous surgeries, pokes, prodding, IVs, blood and platelet transfusions, two bone marrow transplants, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), infections, and then some. He had so many different chemotherapy medications and total body irradiation, which have saved him. However, they carry current and possible future side effects. I made a promise to my son that I would start Evan’s Avengers Foundation to help fund research to end Childhood Cancer.

With more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes, childhood cancer should not be considered rare. Each day, 43 children, more than a classroom, will be diagnosed with some form of cancer and are at risk of a high mortality rate. Many will later suffer from secondary cancer due to medication used to save their lives. The National Cancer Institute receives its budget from the United States Congress as part of the federal budget process through appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institute of Health (NIH). Despite of this, only 4% of federal government cancer research funding goes to study pediatric cancer, that’s just 4¢ on the dollar. We must write our Congressman and plead them to increase this budget. Make some noise with us and #GoGoldforchildren #GoldStrong #Gogoldforevansavengers

Connect with Evan’s Avengers Foundation:

• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/evansavengers
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/evansavengersfoundation/
• Website http://www.evansavengers.org/
• Donate to Evan’s Avengers Foundation http://www.evansavengers.org/donate/

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