Carry it with Love
A fundraiser to help fight Children's Cancer
A fundraiser to help fight Children's Cancer
Why...
do children have to suffer?
Inspiration
Matthew's Story
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis - "It's Not Cancer"
In February our son Matthew cried and refused to sit in the bath. In March he refused his favorite backpack carrier, his stroller, his highchair. Everyone said "he's fine... just being a 2-year old". Then one day in April he started to rub his lower back. In May he started to limp. Then he refused to play. We took him to several doctors. X-rays (poor X-rays) showed nothing. Ultrasound was clear. But he was clearly in pain. We had to find out why.
On June 21, 2010 he had his MRI. The MRI showed an aggressive tumor on his hip. We were immediately referred to an oncologist.
An oncologist?! I never knew a single word could terrify me.
This was the scariest moment of our lives. Why was this happening? What could we do? Will Matthew be ok?!
We turned to Dr. Amanda Weiler. She is a mom, a pediatrician and a great longtime friend. She reacted quickly and connected us to Dr. Mascarenhas at Children's Hospital LA.
Matthew was immediately scheduled for lab work and a biopsy. The biopsy revealed that he had a rare blood disorder called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Matthew's doctor told us it was curable. Normal treatment - chemotherapy and steroids. Another option for his type of single-bone LCH was to wait and see if it improved on its own. Some specialists believe the biopsy triggers the recovery.
We had so many questions and concerns. Dave spent all his time doing research (research is limited since only 1 and 250,000 children have had LCH). He prepared himself with all the questions to make an informative decision about treatment. Based on the doctors answers and our personal concerns about treatment, we decided to wait. After almost three months of agony, doubt, hope, (yes, we're still on that emotional rollercoaster) an MRI showed that he was improving on his own.
Matthew still has a way to go. He's being cared for and monitored by Dr. Leo Mascarenhas at Children's Hospital LA. Matthew's next appointment is in December 2010. We pray for good news.
Our little guy has been awesome through all of this. It's heartbreaking to see him going through all the tests but what can we do? He doesn't have any choice. We are just so thankful that he's improving and pray it continues.
From June until now, we've made several visits to the oncology department at CHLA. Seeing all the brave children has inspired this fundraiser. Not everyone gets to hear "it's curable". We pray for all who are battling cancer and other life threatening diseases. Our hearts go out to all the children and their families.
xo,
Wendy, David and Matthew Meyer
UPDATE:
Dec. 31, 2010
Matthew's appointments with Dr. Mascarenhas and Dr. Arkader went great!
Blood tests and x-rays revealed that his recovery continues.
We're looking forward to 2011.
Happy New Year!
Matthew at the playroom at Children's Hospital LA.
The New "Cleaner" - Fixing up Woody.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leo Mascarenhas, MD
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For info on Pediatric Cancer and Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis:
Pablove.org
http://pablove.org/about-kids-cancer/pediatric-cancer-facts/
Histio.org
http://www.histio.org/site/c.kiKTL4PQLvF/b.1455363/k.6423/Histiocytosis_Association_of_America.htm
National Cancer Institute - Childhood Cancers
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Center For Cancer and Blood Diseases
http://www.chla.org/site/c.ipINKTOAJsG/b.3763823/
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis - "It's Not Cancer"
In February our son Matthew cried and refused to sit in the bath. In March he refused his favorite backpack carrier, his stroller, his highchair. Everyone said "he's fine... just being a 2-year old". Then one day in April he started to rub his lower back. In May he started to limp. Then he refused to play. We took him to several doctors. X-rays (poor X-rays) showed nothing. Ultrasound was clear. But he was clearly in pain. We had to find out why.
On June 21, 2010 he had his MRI. The MRI showed an aggressive tumor on his hip. We were immediately referred to an oncologist.
An oncologist?! I never knew a single word could terrify me.
This was the scariest moment of our lives. Why was this happening? What could we do? Will Matthew be ok?!
We turned to Dr. Amanda Weiler. She is a mom, a pediatrician and a great longtime friend. She reacted quickly and connected us to Dr. Mascarenhas at Children's Hospital LA.
Matthew was immediately scheduled for lab work and a biopsy. The biopsy revealed that he had a rare blood disorder called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Matthew's doctor told us it was curable. Normal treatment - chemotherapy and steroids. Another option for his type of single-bone LCH was to wait and see if it improved on its own. Some specialists believe the biopsy triggers the recovery.
We had so many questions and concerns. Dave spent all his time doing research (research is limited since only 1 and 250,000 children have had LCH). He prepared himself with all the questions to make an informative decision about treatment. Based on the doctors answers and our personal concerns about treatment, we decided to wait. After almost three months of agony, doubt, hope, (yes, we're still on that emotional rollercoaster) an MRI showed that he was improving on his own.
Matthew still has a way to go. He's being cared for and monitored by Dr. Leo Mascarenhas at Children's Hospital LA. Matthew's next appointment is in December 2010. We pray for good news.
Our little guy has been awesome through all of this. It's heartbreaking to see him going through all the tests but what can we do? He doesn't have any choice. We are just so thankful that he's improving and pray it continues.
From June until now, we've made several visits to the oncology department at CHLA. Seeing all the brave children has inspired this fundraiser. Not everyone gets to hear "it's curable". We pray for all who are battling cancer and other life threatening diseases. Our hearts go out to all the children and their families.
xo,
Wendy, David and Matthew Meyer
UPDATE:
Dec. 31, 2010
Matthew's appointments with Dr. Mascarenhas and Dr. Arkader went great!
Blood tests and x-rays revealed that his recovery continues.
We're looking forward to 2011.
Happy New Year!
Matthew at the playroom at Children's Hospital LA. The New "Cleaner" - Fixing up Woody.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leo Mascarenhas, MD
Children's Hospital Los Angeles: Hematology/Oncology
Director of the Clinical Trials Office in the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, and associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Alexandre Arkader, MD
Director, Musculoskeletal Tumor Program
Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery Keck School of Medicine of USC
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For info on Pediatric Cancer and Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis:
Pablove.org
http://pablove.org/about-kids-cancer/pediatric-cancer-facts/
Histio.org
http://www.histio.org/site/c.kiKTL4PQLvF/b.1455363/k.6423/Histiocytosis_Association_of_America.htm
National Cancer Institute - Childhood Cancers
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/childhoodcancers
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Center For Cancer and Blood Diseases
http://www.chla.org/site/c.ipINKTOAJsG/b.3763823/
