Childhood Cancer

Be Their Support

The diagnosis of cancer is a nightmare for anyone but if it for a child, it the end of dreams. Before the child gets a chance to experience the essence of life, they face therapies, surgeries, and pain most of all. To see a child face these hardships with a mustered up smile humbles us. It inspires us to work hard and provide little improvements in the quality of their lives.

The struggle for a youngster with Childhood Cancer does not end with survival, but its a life long roller coaster ride with various health issues. The parents worry not just about the quality of life but also a life for their angels. Providing facilities to ease their living opportunities is the simplest help we can do.

Cancer is a disease when a few cells lose control over their own growth and cause dysfunctions across systems in the body. It can lead to unnatural growth of tissue that takes up nutrition and space. The reason for such behavior in cells is mostly random mutations, along with certain triggering factors. When cancer is diagnosed in adults, cell behavior is mostly linked to an environmental factor or habitual behavior. But for a kid, it is the genes and their mutations. Random mutations that the kid has no control over. The child is then left with no option but to commit to this uncomfortable partner who chooses and takes dreams away.

The survival stories of such bravehearts makes us humane.Their road to a normal life is filled with ups and downs, twists and turns. All we can do is to fill their journey with beautiful memories and comfortable spacing. Let us come together to create space for young heros to strive and acheive colorful heights.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by NCARF

Things to Know About Childhood Cancer

1. Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death in children and adolescent.

Though cancer in children is rare, it is the most common disease-related cause of death. In India, almost 50,000 children age 0-19 die due to cancer every year.

2. Types of cancer found in children are leukemia, tumours and retinoblastoma.

Cancer found in children is fast-growing like the brain and central nervous system tumors, leukemia, neuroblastoma, lymphoma and gonadal germ cell tumors but those in adults are more of epithelial cancers like breast, cervical, lung and prostate cancers.

3. The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is found to be 6.

Screening for childhood cancer is not feasible but early diagnosis and accurate treatment can cure the disease in children.

4. Cancer in children is fast-growing and sensitive.

Only 3% of all cancer types occur in children and they are mostly curable because it responds well to chemotherapy treatment.

5. Random mutation is the cause of most childhood cancer but they are not always Inherited.

Cause for cancer if mainly a chance mutation that occurs randomly and without must precursors. But it is also found that in cases of retinoblastoma, that accounts for 3% of cancer in children, a mutated gene is being inherited.

6. Signs of Childhood cancer

White spot in the eye, new squint, bulging eyeball
Lump found in the abdomen, head, limbs, glands
Unexplained fever, fatigue, loss of appetite/weight, bleeding
An ache in bones, joints and back
Easy bruising and fractures
Change n behavior, balance, milestones, headaches

7. Childhood cancer is curable with early diagnosis and timely treatment.

Number of children that develop cancer is small and the cure rate is high. The productive life years saved by curing these children at the early stages is significantly high and worthwhile.

8. Much knowledge on treating cancer is learned from childhood cancer treatments.

Therapies and methodologies like combination chemotherapy can be traced back to childhood cancer treatments.

9. 99% of children that survived cancer face chronic health problems

Though children survive cancer, by the age of 50 they face severe other health issues due the treatments they had.

10. Cancer treatments require specialists and special centres.

Treatment of cancer differ from individual to individual depending on the type, stage and location of cancer. Multi-modal treatments involve chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy at various combinations and require special equipments and infrastructure.

Pediatric Brain Tumors

Description

When brain cells grow out of control, a mass or growth of abnormal cells occurs in a child's brain called tumors. Since the skull does not have space for anything other than the brain, a mass such as a tumor when formed puts pressure on certain areas of the brain that can affect the functioning of the body.

For an appropriate treatment plan for a child's brain tumor, a team or neurosurgery specialist must know

the location of the tumor,
type of tumor (benign or malignant)
grade of the tumor (aggressive or slow-growing)

Symptoms of a brain tumor can be caused by its pressure on the surrounding area of the brain, so it differs based on the child's age, location of the tumor, and its type. Few common signs can be listed as

headaches
seizures
nausea and vomiting
slurred speech
poor coordination
abrupt vision problems
in babies, rapidly enlarging head

Childhood Cancer Awareness

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