DaynaCakebread

Hope for Families of Kids with Cancer “Major life changes alter not only the way we live, but also the way we look at life, our values and priorities.” My 8 year-old daughter Stella was diagnosed on February 1st 2010 with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. AML Leukemia is cancer of the blood, which means that doctors cannot use surgery, radiation, or other localized remedies common to most cancer tumors. Stella’s situation is complicated by a rare genetic mutation that causes her cancer cells to reproduce at a more rapid rate than her healthy cells. In order to save her life she received a bone marrow transplant in July. As of today, Stella is cancer-free and living with 100% donor bone marrow blood. My radio show will take you through our remarkable journey, following each step as our family has coped with this life-changing event. My topics will cover our care for Stella; our experiences with doctors, insurance, and the hospital; paying for Stella’s care; developing our support network; and taking care of other members of the family. I will be adding guest speakers who have helped our family in many different roles. I hope that my insights will help others who face the same challenges. Our life has changed in 7 months. We have learned that “it takes a village,” and we can’t do it alone. Our story has many heroes, shining a light on the power and value of community in all of our lives.