Thank you for sharing your journey and it's learning to empower others who will follow. He has brain tumors. I naively imagined that once he beat the tumor, he could then carry on with his life as he knew it. Ask your hospital for local cancer support groups and programs. Being knowledgeable and proactive has helped tremendously. He also had a lot of surgeries also. It’s important to note that because childhood cancer is rare, many educational institutions have little to no experience dealing with cancer survivors who return to school. Prayers for continued health and strength for Gavin, you and your family. I have never understood why some families are chosen to experience so much fear and heartache and I am in awe of your fortitude and of the love which rings from every word you have written. How Parents Can Help Their Kids Get Ready to Go Back to School after Cancer, © 2020 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, At Work: Child Psychologist Stephen Sands, Memorial Sloan Kettering Counseling Center. Having Gavin is the most important. We live on a dairy farm near Osseo WI.

God bless you all! Did wonders! Discover MSK Kids and find answers to questions you may have. Summer is soon over and the anticipation of the upcoming school year is here. While cancer diagnosis and treatment bring anxiety and challenges for both the child and his or her family, childhood-cancer survivors and their parents often discover that they have different hurdles to overcome after the treatments are over.

We are meeting with Gavin's team at school in the next week or two.

After reading your story I feel so very blessed. Luckily, when I saw all my pills in the pill container, i took the ones I really needed and welcomed them to my house and just sat quietly and listened to them talk.

This was a wonderful an touching story. Perhaps a year of part school and part home schooling might be a possibility, especially if the public school experience tends to highlight where he is behind as opposed to how far he has come.

You have inspired me and I'm sure a lot of other families...Prayers to Gavin and your beautiful family... :). Some children may have issues with fine-motor coordination, making it challenging for them to accomplish everyday tasks, such as tying shoelaces, engaging in physical activities or sports, or writing by hand.

You go gavin .God is with every step of the way! To him, it also represents one more thing his brain tumor has taken away from him. I also know just how lucky I have been, especially when I have a small relapse (luckily, this has not happened in a very long time). What we learn in these difficult seasons of our life can help the next one if we are willing to share the positive comes, if we are willing to look for it.

Most children, especially teenagers, won’t open up about how they’re feeling or the challenges they encounter at school. Read: Navigating the Unique Needs of Adolescents and Young Adult Cancer Survivors. Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. Praying for the school experience and getting back to his childhood. Come up with a plan. Let your child know there is someone they can talk to if they need a safe space at school.

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When his disease was finally under control, we soon realized that going back to his life as he knew it was not going to be an easy task. I practiced this with my children and it reduced sibling rivalry and improved my relationship with each child. Here, Dr. Sands shares ideas for how parents can help their child get the school year off to a great start. Your strength, perseverance and courage are beyond words. But for children who have missed school due to cancer treatment, returning to the classroom after a long absence can be especially challenging. Hopefully, you have a school nurse at your son's school who can be a source of knowledge and support for you and can go to your son's teachers and explain all the issues he might face and when he needs to have sorest time and how you can provide that time when it is not instructional time.

Giving any child the gift of time to develop and not to be overplaced in an academic setting is a gift that blesses him for a lifetime.

Remember that it’s completely normal for children to have mixed emotions about returning to school. You are in my prayers. Some children feel excited about returning to school, while others feel upset or anxious. And it will.

Dear Nicole, As a former elementary teacher and an advocate for the placement of children in formal school setting, i.e., kindergarten, I hope that Gavin's being place in third grade is not only due to his birth date. I am so happy to hear that Gavin is back in school. this world is blessed by your presence in it. Close friends may have moved up to higher grades or graduated and formed bonds with others. Most adolescents and young adults who survive cancer worry that they’re not yet completely out of the woods and that their lives are still “in danger.” Often, smells, sounds, and sights that remind them of hospitals or the many treatments they endured trigger strong emotional and physical responses, sometimes years later. So I guess this is my way of saying to all of them how much I truly appreciate all that they did (and continue to do) when I have a small relapse due to over-excitement--like at my retirement party. Copyright © 2020 CaringBridge ®, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN: 42-1529394.

For the thousands of children in the U.S. living with a brain tumor or cancer, going back to school is bittersweet.

School is important, but you are right. Blessings. My prayers are with you daily and continue to pray for health and strength for you all.

We still struggle with him all the time and he is in special education at school. I'm glad to read about Gavin and your family. Nicole, I was very moved by your beautiful writing. It's normal for children to have mixed feelings about returning to school, says Stephen Sands, a neuropsychologist and child psychologist at MSK. Understandably, this may affect a child’s performance when he or she goes back to school, and may also be a cause for frustration and anxiety. By using this website you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You may wish to invite someone from your child’s medical or cancer-care team to help you discuss your son’s or daughter’s situation, diagnosis, and necessary accommodations with the school’s faculty, and perhaps with his or her peers as well.

Praise God!! Blessings to you all. My prayers are being sent your way.

Thank you for making me aware, and God bless all of you in Gavin's continued progress. I am very proud to say that I have an amazing friend who I am so proud of. When deciding which support group to join, ask yourself and your child how comfortable you are talking to strangers about your personal experiences.

Several surgeries repaired his brain and allowed it to heal cancer free. How much do you know about Melanoma? Nicole lives in Ramsey, MN with her husband and three children. You are right, it is so important for them to feel special too.

As a parent, it’s crucial to stay in touch with your child’s doctors, oncologists, and therapists to ensure that your child receives proper after-care, including screenings, tests, and therapy to monitor physical, social and mental wellness. Children, adolescents, and young adults have to navigate the challenges of homework and getting good grades, making friends–maybe even dating or getting through heartbreak. After the death of her brother from testicular cancer, Meg McQuarrie followed his life-affirming approach to cancer treatment by creating Elixir Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on helping patients with cancer and their caregivers.

If you can, find a neuropsychologist who you trust and who can be an ally in helping others understand your child’s unique situation. God Bless You, Gavin and your family. We need to remember to look at our glass half full rather than half empty, particularly in the difficult times of our life.

Praying that he will be especially blessed for all that he had been through. I follow Gavin's Caring Bridge site and continue to pray for all of you. These resources can alleviate feelings of worry and uncertainty and allow you to advocate for your child.

May God Bless Gavin during this journey called life. Thank you for sharing your family's and especially Gavin's story.

Awesome article!

Getting back into the swing of the school year can be difficult for any child. I will also pray for you and your family. I try to be a encouraging person to people who are on here.

I have taken time to make them feel special, and celebrate their successes.

Many of the treatments used to treat pediatric cancer have long-term effects such as mental fatigue, physical and cognitive deficits, or trouble with attention, memory and speed. Sincerly, Michelle. In particular, studies have shown that children who survive cancer or undergo treatment in the central nervous system are more prone to developing mental health issues later on in life.

She's not a believer but cared enough for you all to ask me to pray for him. Teenagers often feel they are immune from cancer, says Ellen Chun, who was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer at age 18. Nicole, thank you for sharing your story.

It will encourage many families, especially your last sentence. He was in my college science classes in 2011 for the first time after his recovery and earned straight A's and went on to become a Respitory Therapist.

And i have to constantly remind myself to be patience with him and not to compare him with his peers or sibling. Myself & my Women of Hope of Cambridge, NY will be praying for your precious Gavin.

From a former teacher. Ask your child how they would like to handle questions about their illness.

You and your family are special and i pray for Gavin's ongoing process and his treatments. It’s always best for parents or caregivers to discuss a proper educational plan with teachers and the schools’ principals.

Nicole Pierson is the mother of Gavin, a pediatric brain tumor survivor. From radiation therapy to clinical trials to check-ins with your doctor, your care is made as convenient as possible. One Saturday every other week I was all theirs.

My apologies While the road to recovery for childhood-cancer survivors can be riddled with bumps and ruts, successfully navigating challenges is possible, with the right mindset, the right preparation, and people who love and care for you by your side. who also had a brain tumor. God Bless. I am on sabbatical this year, which is a blessing because I am able to take time needed to find resources, be very involved in his education as well as stay on top of his progress. But for my son Gavin, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor near the end of his kindergarten year, back to school can be a time of worry and uncertainty.

Thank you all for commenting on Gavin's story. During first grade, Gavin received homebound instruction (where a licensed teacher helps maintain a child’s progress) when he was not in the hospital. Growing up is one of life’s most daunting stages. Survivors may even feel anxious about re-entering school and re-establishing routines. I had never dreamed- rather never imagined the intricate phases and neuances(sp?) This brain tumor could have stolen his life, his joy, his happiness but he refused to let that happen. Luckily, i did not have any reaction until I got home and realized that I had not taken my pills--at all--that day. She developed tumors on her spine which were successfully removed. I know you would not intentionally "it just happens". What a wonderful mom you are. How do you help your child ease back into the school year? She is in remission from leukemia and just spent 5 months in the hospital after a tumor on her right kidney was discovered.