Sunday, September 1, 2013

Parents: The unsung heroes of pediatric cancer

September is pediatric cancer awareness month. Obviously, this is a cause very close to my heart. I hope to write many posts this month about various aspects of pediatric cancer. And while it is the children that go through the physical battle of these diseases, it is the parents who fight a whole other battle. 

"Mom" and "Dad" turn into doctor, nurse, researcher, advocate, blogger...even politician. The daily conversation about numbers goes from baseball scores and stock market options to blast counts and platelet counts. Figuring out how to maintain a work/life balance turns into figuring out how to maintain caring for your sick child and making sure your other children feel loved and cared for.

Here are some of those super-parents, battling right alongside their children.


Kristen and Doug Strauss
Gloria Strauss (Neuroblastoma) +
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Rachel and Rob Byers


Jenessa "Boey" Byers (Rhabdomyosarcoma) +
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Karen and Gregg Gerstenberger
Katie Gerstenberger (Adrenocortical Carcinoma) +
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Karen and Jeff Fantozzi
Peter Fantozzi (Ewing's sarcoma)
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Karen and Anthony St. Martin
Nicole St. Martin (Osteosarcoma)
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Jason and Sara Andrews
Judah Andrews (Lymphoblastic Lymphoma)
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To read more about pediatric cancer and find out how you can help, check out these links:

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