Children Diagnosed With Cancer: Returning To School

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ACCO

Returning To School

For most children, going to school forms the backbone of their daily routine: normal, everyday activities like catching the bus, greeting their friends, completing in-school activities, and doing nightly homework are so regular that most of us don’t even think about them. For a family coping with a diagnosis of cancer, handling the daily routine of school can seem like just one more insurmountable challenge. Yet for school-age children, and especially middle- and high-school children, taking the time to think through how to approach school-related issues both during–and after–treatment will play a critical role in ensuring your child’s academic success once treatment is complete.

Whether your child can go to school intermittently during treatment or whether treatment has required a long absence from school, returning to school can be emotionally challenging for many parents, who face serious concerns about the potential for illness, whether their child has the physical or emotional stamina to cope with a long school day, and whether they will face teasing from uninformed peers. Yet at the same time, maintaining a regular school-related routine as much as possible can offer your child, and indeed your family, emotional stability and regularity during a difficult time, and will help reassure your child that they have a future that is bright and strong.

Communication is the key to your child’s educational success

Although at times dealing with school-related issues can seem like just one more “to do” on your growing list, opening an early dialogue with the educators in your child’s life will help ensure your child’s educational success both during and after treatment. The first step is alerting the school about your child’s diagnosis and treatment plan, the expected duration of the treatment, and the extent to which he or she will be absent. Notifying the principal, your child’s teacher(s), and the school counselor quickly will not only keep them informed of expected absences, it will also enable them to work with you to ensure that your child does not fall behind academically during treatment and keep the school informed about potential limitations that treatment places on their ability to complete certain types of activities or work while in school.

Of course, for many parents, ensuring that your child will not “fall behind” will be a priority. Helping your child stay up-to-date on school work will require that he or she complete assignments while at home or in the hospital. Your school should be able to provide lesson plans and assignments for completion, and may even be able to offer academic assistance in the form of tutoring for older children with more complicated workloads. Many hospitals now also offer academic support for children struggling to complete assignments while in extended hospital stays. By supporting your child and encouraging them to stay on top of their school work as much as treatment allows, you are offering him or her the best possible chance to return to school as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.

Perhaps more importantly, however, maintaining excellent communication with your child’s school will activate additional resources that may be available to help you and your child as they balance the difficult bridge between school and treatment. Most critically, of course, is ensuring that your child receives academic support, including additional assistance if necessary, to stay as close as possible to grade level. However, schools also offer emotional support as well; the school counselor can help your child cope with the emotional stresses he or she is facing. And last, but not least, the school can help guide and manage social interactions as well, working with other students to help them understand what your child is going through and ensuring that your child receives support and friendship from his or her peers as well as from school staff.

For additional information on coping with school-related issues and establishing communication with the educators in your child’s life, we encourage you to obtain a copy of Educating the Child with Cancer: A Guide for Parents and Teachers, 2nd Edition, edited by the American Childhood Cancer Foundation’s own Ruth Hoffman, and available through the ACCO (www.acco.org).

For more information about the American Childhood Cancer Organization and how we can help, call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Gold Ribbon Hero Isabel R.

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Isabel is a brave girl. As she fights cancer she still manages to keep her faith and positive attitude. She keeps her parents strong even though she is going through so much. She manages to be so full of love and maturity when most grown ups would be falling apart if they were in her place. She is an amazing child!” – Amber T.

Gold Ribbon Hero Will J.

Posted on August 20, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Will was diagnosed with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia T-cell on November 18, 2013, three months to the day after his fourteenth birthday. Will was a warrior even before his diagnosis dealing with several learning differences that just made school hard for him. In September 2013 he began attending The Hill School of Fort Worth and fell in love with school for the first time. Three months later everything changed. Leading up to Will’s diagnosis he was practicing hard as a member of his basketball team, he felt ill but still kept going because he loved playing the game. Often he would get physically sick while driving home from school. Will’s doctor wrote a prescription for antibiotics for a sinus infection and still no change. Tired, but never running a fever, Will went to ?” Will had an aggressive strain of Leukemia. After an induction phase of 30 days of chemo and a consolidation phase of more chemo and brain radiology Will had still not reached remission. A bone marrow transplant of a full sibling donor was his best chance at recovery. There was only a 30% chance that Will’s full blood sister would be a match and as miracles happen she was a match! Now just over one year later Will is healthy and back in school.
Will began giving back even while fighting cancer by attending a St. Baldrics event where a nurse from Cook Children’s Hospital shaved her head because Will was her inspiration and Will also appeared in a Cooks Hospital PSA for cancer awareness. As Will was getting ready to check into the bone marrow unit he found out his art work was chosen by the Honored Hero Run to represent their fall race; so six months after transplant Will ran a 10k! Will continues to speak publicly for any organization that asks. He has given two speeches for LLS this year and has more on his calendar.
Will was chosen last year by the Cook staff to serve on their Youth Advisory Committee. Will’s physical therapist was also touched by Will’s brave spirit and decided to go back to school for his Masters. Will is a good student back at the Hill School after practically missing his whole eighth grade year. One year later he finally got to play in that basketball game he never made it to because of Cancer. Will has also been named a Superstar by Ragan’s Hope
Will grew up in Colorado but has Texan roots with his late grandfather Buddy Jeffers being a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He loves snowboarding, sledding, deep sea fishing and being a teenager.” – Nancy J.

Gold Ribbon Hero Paige H.

Posted on August 19, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: http://flipagram.com/f/aM0MuOvoQ7” – Tim W.

Gold Ribbon Hero Jackson S.

Posted on August 19, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: My three year old son Jackson was diagnosed with ALL over a month ago. He has been brave and courageous and although he is scared he has shown how tough my little warrior is. He met another little boy in the hospital with the same condition as his and asked me why Toby has to stay in the hospital and we get to go home. I told him every child Is different. He went home in his playroom and gathered a bunch of toys and said let’s give my toys to baby Toby to cheer him up in the hospital. I cried knowing what he is going through and still managed to care about someone else.” – Jill S.

Gold Ribbon Hero Sean C

Posted on August 18, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: My grandson, Sean Collins is a gold ribbon hero because at ten months old he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma.he went through chemo and radiation but in the end is right eye was removed and he is 15 years Cancer Free! He has never lived his life as a person with a disability because he says”he’s not disabled”.hes a kind, loving and caring person who would never hurt anyone he would give of himself for others. He is heading into his senior year in high school and planning on furthering his college education to be a pediatric oncologist, again he wants to help others.we as a family are so proud of the man that he has become and the way he has chosen to live his life for which we are blessed that God let us keep him to help make this world a better place. God bless all of these children.” – Linda P.

Gold Ribbon Hero Layla S

Posted on August 18, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Layla was diagnosed with pre B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on 2/4/15 and was immediately admitted to duke children’s hospital where she was expected to stay about 3 weeks. After her first chemo treatment she had done so well we were able to go home after only 9 days. Layla has lost her hair but not her fight, strength, and positive attitude. Layla is so brave and is able to have her port accessed without any numbing spray, cream or tears. Today 8/18/15 is Layla’s 5th birthday and she is spending it receiving chemo. even while throwing up or feeling bad after treatment she is still more worried and concerned with me and making sure everyone else is ok. She is so brave and a true hero.” – Shapel W.

Children Diagnosed with Cancer: Late Effects of Cancer Treatment

Posted on August 17, 2015 by ACCO

Late Effects of Cancer Treatment

When your child has just been diagnosed with cancer, your immediate focus is helping your child receive whatever treatment he or she needs to give him or her the greatest possible chance of long-term survival. Unfortunately, many treatments available today for childhood cancer continue to rely on protocols that have proven successful in treating adult cancers, but which can prove highly toxic for the small, still developing bodies of children. Therefore, when facing a treatment protocol, it is critical for parents to be cognizant of both the short- and long-term side effects of that treatment, and the potential for so-called “late term effects” that may impact your child for the rest of his or her life.

What are “late term effects”?

The good news is that there have been tremendous advancements in the treatment procedures for many forms of childhood cancer, and five-year survival rates for some types of cancer have risen dramatically in recent years. However, both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the two most common forms of treatment, involve intensive levels of both medication and energy that can target healthy cells in addition to killing cancerous cells. Unfortunately, these treatments may, and often do, cause severe health-related problems later on. These are called “late term effects”. While helping your child cope with the short-term and often extremely difficult side effects during or immediately after treatment often takes first priority, it is important to be aware of the types of health problems that may not develop for months or even years. And as the survival rate continues to improve, but treatment still relies on smaller dosages of adult protocols, more and more children will suffer from “late term effects” throughout the remainder of their lives.

Treating childhood cancer requires an extremely specialized approach from a qualified team of experts, but continuing specialized care well beyond the original treatment to anticipate and mitigate any late effects is equally important. Late term effects can impact multiple internal structures or organs, and can range from very mild to extremely severe. Doctors should insist upon cautious and active follow-ups after the completion of cancer treatment so that they can watch out for and treat late effects as quickly as possible. The schedule for follow-up will be dependent on several factors like the type of treatment used, the form of cancer the child had been diagnosed with, and the risks associated with such treatments.

Which type of patients are at a greater risk?

Each child who is diagnosed with cancer gets a unique cancer treatment based on their anatomy, medical history, and type and stage of the disease; in fact, childhood cancer requires a significantly more individualized and specialized approach than adult cancers. In most cases, late effects will be as unique as the cancer and form of treatment. While the risk of late term effects is difficult to predict, some of the other factors that may affect the risk for late effects are:

Overall health condition of the child before the cancer.
The age of the child when treatment was provided to him or her.
The form of childhood cancer the child.
The organ where cancer was detected.
The genetic makeup of the child i.e. whether there is any inherited risk for specific health problems.

The American Child Cancer Organization is dedicated to the ongoing fight against childhood cancer and late term effects. In addition to offering ongoing support for children and families engaged in this critical battle, the ACCO is at the forefront of the fight to develop new and better treatment protocols designed to safeguard the current–and future–lives of childhood cancer victims. From advocating for additional government funding to providing insight into ongoing clinical trials, the ACCO is dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer so no child has to live with its long term impacts again.

For more information about the American Childhood Cancer Organization and how we can help, call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Remembering “Batman” – Lenny Robinson

Posted on August 17, 2015 by ACCO

Remembering “Batman”: A Tribute to Mr. Lenny B. Robinson

The American Childhood Cancer Organization is saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected death of Leonard B. Robinson, known to so many children and families in the Baltimore/Washington area as “Batman.” Lenny spent so much of his life bringing joy and happiness to children battling cancer and was a “regular” at the ACCO tree lighting event held on Capitol Hill each December.

Since 2001, Mr. Robinson has generously volunteered his time and his money traveling to hospitals throughout the Baltimore/Washington area dressed as Batman, visiting children fighting childhood cancer and other serious illnesses, handing out toys and gifts, and bringing a message of hope and encouragement to children and their families. His generosity, warmth, and devotion to these brave cancer warriors will be sadly missed by the children, their families, and all of us in the ACCO community.

Mr. Robinson traveled throughout the area dressed in a custom-designed, authentic-looking Batman costume and driving a black Lamborghini decorated to look like the Batmobile. Never breaking character, he visited area hospitals several times a month to hand out Batman-themed gifts, books, t-shirts, and toys, all personally signed by “Batman.” According to the Washington Post, Mr. Robinson spent $25,000 a year of his own money to purchase the memorabilia, but for the children he visited, his presence alone was just as special, just as exciting, as the gifts he brought. Children battling cancer can spend weeks, or even months, living in a hospital wing to receive potentially life-saving treatments and life in the hospital can be scary, difficult, and even simply boring. Visits from “Batman”, as Mr. Robinson knew, were as much therapy as fun for these special children, bringing them excitement and joy, and making life in the hospital just a little bit better.

Ruth and Batman2 Never seeking notoriety or publicity for his actions, which he called part of a “maturation process” so important in bringing peace and stability into his own life, Mr. Robinson gained a degree of fame when he was pulled over in his Batmobile, dressed in costume, for a minor traffic violation in 2012 (he was not ticketed!) Mr. Robinson was a self-made businessman who founded his own commercial cleaning company as a teenager. Having sold his business, he spent the last several years making visits several times per month to area hospitals and participating in charity events and fundraisers dedicated to raising awareness about the critical needs of children facing cancer and their families.

Mr. Robinson was struck and killed late Sunday evening after his replica Batmobile broke down on Interstate 70 in Maryland. The ACCO, the childhood cancer community, and most especially the children to whom he brought so much joy will greatly miss his enthusiastic and wholehearted dedication to bringing smiles to the faces of those who need them most. We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Robinson’s family in this time of grief and sadness. He will be greatly missed.

To See “Batman” at Our Light Up the Holidays with Hope Events, Please Click on a Facebook Album Below:

PHOTO BOOTH 2012

TREE EVENT 2013

PHOTO BOOTH 2013

For more information about the American Childhood Cancer Organization and how we can help, call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Gold Ribbon Hero Aiden D

Posted on August 15, 2015 by ACCO

“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Aiden was first diagnosed at the age of 2 1/2 with clear cell sarcoma to the kidney. He had radiation and 6 cycles of chemo and in Sept.2013 he was in remission . However in March 2015 we took Aiden to the ER because he fell and there they told us he relapsed and tumor was found in his brain. We left everything behind and moved from NJ to PA (CHOP) so he can receive the best care. He is such a strong, courages little boy with all he had gone through he still smiles and loves to play and is full of live. He is truly my hero.” – Carmen D.