Childhood Cancer: A Parent's Guide to Solid Tumor Cancers [Paperback]

Honna Janes-Hodder (Author), Nancy Keene (Author)

Book Description

Series: Patient Centered Guides | Publication Date: September 15, 1999

Childhood Cancer, the most complete parent guide available, features detailed and precise medical information about solid tumor childhood cancers, including neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, liver tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, and bone sarcomas. In addition, it offers day-to-day practical advice on how to cope with procedures, hospitalization, family and friends, school, social and financial issues, communication, feelings, and, if therapy is not successful, the difficult issues of death and bereavement.

Woven among the medical details and the practical advice are the voices of parents and children who have lived with cancer and its treatments. As many parents have already found, advice from "veteran" parents can be a lifeline.

Obtaining a basic understanding of topics such as medical terminology, how drugs work, common side effects of chemotherapy, and how to work more effectively with medical personnel can only improve the quality of life for the whole family suffering along with their child. Having parents describe their own emotional ups and downs, how they coped, and how they molded their family life around hospitalizations can be a tremendous comfort. Just knowing that there are other kids on chemotherapy who refuse to eat anything but tacos or who have frequent rages can make one feel less alone.

Parents who read this book will encounter medical facts simply explained, advice to ease their daily lives, and tools to be strong advocates for their child.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Each year, 11,000 children and adolescents in this country are diagnosed with cancer. Although numerous medical textbooks have been written on this subject, not many are aimed at parents and families. The authors, both mothers of children who had cancer and patient advocates in the Children's Oncology Group (Keene is also the author of Childhood Leukemia), fill in the gap with this guide to six solid-tumor childhood cancers: neuroblastoma, Wilms' tumor, liver tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, retinoblastoma, and bone sarcomas. The description for each tumor covers tumor origins, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. There are also chapters explaining clinical trials, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy in general. Emotional and psychological issues are addressed as well, with personal accounts to help parents and families cope with daily stress or in the event of death. This practical guide will empower parents to understand the disease better and participate more actively in the treatment process. Recommended for all consumer health collections.ALily Liu, Arkansas Children's Hosp. Medical Lib., Little Rock
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Honna Janes-Hodder's youngest son Matthew was diagnosed with neuroblastoma on his third birthday, and passed away at age seven on September 3, 1997. She loved, cared for, and advocated for Matthew during his long struggle with cancer. She lives with her husband, 14-year-old son, and 11-year-old daughter in beautiful Paradise, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Canada. Honna is founder of ChildCan, The Childhood Cancer Research Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, Inc., and president of the International Pediatric Cancer Alliance, Inc. Honna manages most of the pediatric discussion groups for ACOR, the Association of Cancer Online Resources, Inc. ACOR, based in New York, provides accurate and timely medical support and information for all those affected by cancer, in both the pediatric and adult communities. She is the administrator of five online discussion groups, providing support and reliable information to families dealing with childhood cancers globally. In addition, Honna sits on the Public Issues Committee for the Newfoundland and Labrador division of the Canadian Cancer Society and writes a regular health section for a national newspaper in Canada. Honna spends a great deal of time advocating on behalf of children diagnosed with cancer. She does not view this as a job, but as an important part of her identity. Honna attends Memorial University of Newfoundland as a part-time student when time permits, working toward a Ph.D. in biochemistry. Honna and Nancy were two of the first five people appointed as patient advocates to the Children's Cancer Group (CCG), a research organization consisting of pediatric cancer specialists from Canada, the United States, and Australia. They attend CCG meetings and facilitate communication between CCG investigators and the patient community.

Nancy Keene has written or co-authored five health books for families. She is co-creator of the Patient-Centered Guides series and Editor of pediatric titles. Nancy is a tireless advocate for childrens health issues, including pediatric clinical trials, childhood cancer, late effects of childhood cancer treatments, pediatric pain relief, and emotional support for families. She frequently speaks for professional and parent groups and works on/with national pediatric advocacy organizations and committees.

Product Details

• Paperback: 521 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (September 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565925319
• ISBN-13: 978-1565925311
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,499,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The *Best* Book for Parents of Kids With Solid Tumor Cancers, November 27, 1999

By 

Mom of a kid with cancer (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Childhood Cancer: A Parent's Guide to Solid Tumor Cancers (Paperback)

This book is filled with loads of good information in lay terms to help family members, friends, teachers, social workers, etc. understand the various childhood cancers and their often complex treatments. Every family having a child diagnosed with cancer should automatically be given this book, because it contains so much information on diagnosis, procedures, tests, treatments and side effects. It also realistically discusses the potential effects on a whole family when a child is diagnosed with cancer, and provides tips on how to have an active and constructive relationship with doctors and nurses. The authors apparently interviewed a lot of parents who've been down this road and you can read their ideas and suggestions about how to deal with all sorts of issues from the mundane (how to get your child to take a certain medication) to the tremendously difficult (how to deal with relapse or talk to a child about death). I wish this had been available when my child was first diagnosed!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It explains all, October 20, 2001

By 

Lois Kelley (Hampton, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Childhood Cancer: A Parent's Guide to Solid Tumor Cancers (Paperback)

This book was recommended to me after my daughter was diagnosed with nueroblastoma. It explains it all. The book is broken down by topic (ie radiation and chemotherepy) and also by tumor.
The language used was easy to understand. The book was my map through the world of childhood cancer.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Childhood Cancer:A Paren't Guide to Solid Tumor Cancers, March 3, 2000

By 

Ruth Hoffman (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Childhood Cancer: A Parent's Guide to Solid Tumor Cancers (Paperback)

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation fully endorses this book and places it on the 'must have resource list' for any parent whose child is diagnosed with any type of solid tumor cancer. This comprehensive guide provides extensive information on the diagnosis, prognosis, procedures, treatment and side effects of neuroblastoma, Wilms Tumor, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and bone sarcomas. Included is a thorough explanation of the various chemotherapy drugs used in treatment and their common side effects. Detailed information on radiation therapy, surgery and bone marrow transplantation is also included. Additionally, the book provides practical advice to families on related issues such as nutrition, returning to school and the end of treatment. The book addresses the emotional impact that such a cancer diagnosis places upon the child, their family and friends and offers practical insight on how to cope. A comprehensive list of childhood cancer websites, support organizations and additional reading materials is listed at the back of the book. The authors'extensive interviewing of families who have 'walked down this road' offers hope to those whose 'journey' has just begun.