Check back soon for information about our
2010-2011 Honored Students!
See below for the stories of our past Honored Students.
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Pennies for Patients
Honored Students 2009-2010
In an instant their life changes when they hear the word - cancer! Learn about our youngest survivors and warriors. Read about their courageous battles, see photos, and share in their stories with your school.
Meet Cole Whiting, Age 7 By Madonna Whiting, Mother
In August 2005, we were winding down the summer with our two son's Carson (5) and Cole (3 ½). On Sun Aug 13th my husband Rick noticed something coming out of Cole's nose. After speaking with our doctor we took Cole to the local ER. Our ENT instructed us to get a CAT scan that revealed a large tumor, thought to be CANCER. Shock, anger, fear and numbness overwhelmed us. By Friday it was confirmed, Cole was diagnosed with Stage IV Rhabdomyosarcoma. Our life, as we knew it, had changed forever. We spent our vacation at INOVA Hospital. Our journey had begun, chemo and radiation started immediately. Cole developed severe mouth sores and fevers so his first few months were spent as an in-patient. In early December, Cole had scans to determine if the tumor was reacting to his chemo. To our relief, there was significant change in the size of the tumor. Treatment continued for Cole with multiple hospitalizations. In November 2006, Cole was officially in remission.  On May 20th 2008, we went for his monthly medical appointment at the clinic in Fairfax. Blood work came back unusual. On May 29th 2008, two weeks shy of Cole completing his first full year of school he was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, (AML) a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone's marrow. Cole went immediately from the doctor's office to INOVA Hospital to begin chemo conditioning for a bone marrow transplant (BMT). The transplant was the only thing that could save Cole's life. We were again hurled into the nasty world of cancer.
This time it was harder because we knew what would happen. A blood test was done to determine if Carson's marrow was a match for Cole. We anxiously waited for the genetic testing results. We were elated to learn that Carson was a perfect match. Cole was transferred to Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. to continue his pre-transplant chemotherapy conditioning. The transplant required ten days of aggressive chemotherapy. He had to be isolated from everybody. Carson was confused and angry because once again he had only one parent and spent many nights with grandma and grandpa. He started third grade knowing his brother was in the hospital with cancer again. Cole received his BMT on September 3rd, 2008. We spent day-after-day in the room without visitors. When he felt good, we'd play card games- Uno and Skip Bo became his favorites. I watched him color and helped him with school work. Cole developed severe abdominal pain and was given Morphine and Adivan. I broke the rules and lay in his bed to comfort him. Forty days after the transplant, we brought Cole home. There were many restrictions - no school, no visiting friends, and no playing outdoors; his favorite activities besides playing baseball. We spent 133 days in the hospital since the AML diagnosis, 145 days ago. His body was weak and will take at least a year to recover.  We are now a family who has twice battled cancer. We are a family who has watched other people's children die, parents divorce from the strain, and others lose their jobs, homes and insurance from the utter helplessness that comes from a child having cancer. Luckily, we are a complete and happy family. Now we again have to start a "new" normal life.
Cole's Favorite Things! Sports: Baseball
Ice Cream: Chocolate
Restaurant: Casa Chimayo | Best Vacation: Outter Banks, NC 2009
Movie: Shark Boy and Lava Girl
TV: Hannah Montana |
Meet Zane Mosby, Age 7 written by Zane Mosby
My name is Zane and I am seven years old and in the second grade. I live at home with my mom, dad, big brother Jordan and my grandma. When I was in kindergarten I stared feeling badly and got sick. I was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia. I stayed in Children's Hospital for almost a month. The doctors had to take a lot of blood samples from me and I had to have a lot of different tests. The nurses were all very nice and took really good care of me and the doctors are nice too. It was hard in the beginning because I was so sick but after a while things got better. I had to have a line put in my chest so they could get the medicine in easier.  While I was in Children's Hospital I had a really cool room. It had a portable Wii that could slide over to my bed so I could play it. There was a flat screen TV and I got to watch cartoons while the doctors were working on me. It also had a big window where I liked to sit and look at the birds and the helicopters go by. You could see the parking lot too and the cars were really small.
 I love to swim and I want to learn how to play soccer. I also like playing video games and watching movies. I took piano lessons over the summer. I have a snow globe collection from different places that my family has visited.
My mommy and daddy said that I have been very brave since I have had cancer. I told them while I was in the hospital that I was not going to let it change me and that I was going to beat it. My whole family prays for me all the time and I can't wait to be cancer free. Zane's Favorite Things Sport: Soccer and Football
Ice Cream: Strawberry
Superhero: Iron Man | Best Vacation: Disney World
Restaurant: Outback Steakhouse
TV Show: Iron Man Armored Adventures |
Tim King, Age 15 written by Tim King
In the Summer before I turned 9, I suddenly and increasingly became more and more weary. I'd spend most of my time napping, scarcely ever awake. I couldn't climb stairs or go outside very long. Eventually I was taken to the nearby clinic and tested, one test showing positive for ALL. Looking back now, all I remember is waking up and having a Broviac catheter in my chest and knowing it's been there a while. I've heard people's memory can shut down to prevent additional trauma, and I suppose that's what happened. Later I went to school, having to make up quite a bit of work. I didn't have the catheter removed until much later. About a year and a half I think. I also developed a blood clot do to a drug whose name reminds me of bad memories, Asparagines. To resolve this I had to use a drug almost equally unpleasant, Lovenox. I developed Large bruises on my arms and thighs centering at the injection site. It stung like a hornet going in, and the area was prone to bleeding profusely at any time. It also gave me a temporary case of Diabetes.  My parents suffered as much as I did in different forms, they were the ones giving the injections. That was definitely the worst part. But eventually the treatment ended, around 3 years after the first diagnosis. Shortly after I turned 13. Towards the end of the next school year, a familiar pattern appeared. I was drowsy and falling asleep in class, and could not be woken when I did. During some follow-up testing at the hospital, I was told I had relapsed. This time I needed a bone marrow transplant and because of some cancer reaching the brain, radiation therapy.
This time I did not have the good fortune of forgetting everything. The worst parts of this were full body radiation and an ailment I developed called mucusitis. Fortunately, my brother J.T. was a 100% match for my bone marrow, and because we have the same blood type, the marrow didn't need any treating. I am very glad I was so fortunate to have my brother. I thought it funny that my BMT was just a day or two from my birthday. It was definitely the best birthday present I ever received.  I remember one time, I gave a speech at a fundraiser when I was younger, maybe 11 or 12. The profits were to go to an infusion room, one I'd stayed in. It was for the most part, dismal. There was nothing aesthetically pleasing, much less anything to do. In a room where you may need to stay a very long time maybe many, many hours, it was quite unpleasant. A few months later I went to that same room, and the difference was astonishing. There was paint on the walls, and board games, and a television for every reclining chair. There was a plaque on the door thanking the charity I had attended. I guess that's what showed me that everyone doing a small bit can add up to achieve incredible results.
Tim's Favorite Things Sport: Skiing, Suba, or Tennis
Ice Cream: Strawberry
Movie: Too many to pick one! | TV Show: Too many to pick one! Best Vacation: Make-a-Wish Trip to Australia Favorite Restaurant: I really like good food. Especially seafood. |
Isaac Duck, Age 7 written by Ellen Duck
Isaac Bailey Duck was born on March 29, 2002 in Manassas, VA. Let's back up. Isaac's name was "A" before we even had a chance to think of a name because Isaac is a twin. Isaac's brother, Isaiah, was named "B". So, Isaac is a fraternal twin, which means I was blessed with two different boys at the same time!! Isaac stole my heart the first moment I laid eyes on him. After the twins were born, we were officially the DucksRus5 (Mom/Dad/ Alex (13-yr old big brother), Isaac and Isaiah, and we made beautiful spiritual family music and fun together on a day-to-day basis. Isaac was, (and still is) a bubbly, high-spirited, lovable, normal child until Nov 2008. Thanksgiving 2008 marks the start of something unusual. During the Thanksgiving holiday in South Carolina, Isaac started to complain about stomach pain, however, we gave him some children's Tylenol and he was fine. Early December, he started complaining about stomach pains in the mornings, but so did his brother so I was not sure what was real or what was being copied from his brother.  Two days before Christmas, Isaac started to complain about stomach pains again and this time we could feel a "bump". His normal pediatrician's examination resulted in "constipation" for Isaac, but they recommended an x-ray. The x- ray was negative, so I took him back home, but that same evening, Isaac threw up and was still in pain. The day after Christmas, while Isaac's brothers were playing, I asked where Isaac was, and found out he was in bed. Isaac's pain started to become acute so Dad took him to the emergency for a 2nd time. This time they gave him a CT scan, and there was something unusual on the scan.
New Year's Eve 2008 our pediatrician made an appointment for us with a blood disorder/cancer doctor at the Children's Hospital in Fairfax. I felt like I was trapped in a dream and could not wake up. However, Dr. Lawlor (an awesome doctor), said he felt a very large mass in Isaac's abdomen and he needed to analyze it ASAP, so he set up surgery at Children's hospital. New Year's Day 2009, Isaac's biopsy turned into a full blown major surgery. Isaac ended up with an ileostomy (an external bag for his waste) and a diagnosis of Lymphoma. I was now in a nightmare! I became Isaac's primary care provider. I changed his "bag" gave him his shots, flushed/cleaned his PICC/Broviac access line(s), and, gave him his medications. Starting January 2009, Isaac took his first chemo treatment. He would have to take about 6 more treatments about every 3 weeks for the next 12 weeks. Dad and I never left Isaac's bedside at Children's Hospital. I am so very thankful that I was able to stay with Isaac 24 hours a day, and maintain my job. Did I say this was tough? Isaac had all the normal cancer symptoms, such as hair loss, weight loss, but only a little nausea (thank God for that!). He was an awesome patient...he always said "good" when asked how he felt. I learned from him. After the 12-week treatment, the lymphoma tumor was still there. However, the chemo had shrunk the tumor enough for surgery. So, on in April, Isaac underwent surgery to remove the remaining cancer and was pronounced cancer free, with the understanding the he would be in follow-up for about 2 years (which he is currently in now).  My husband is the best!! He had to keep working, manage the other two boys at home, and keep the household running. The best thing I could have said was YES when asked if I needed help from family and close friends, from my Church (Mt. Olive Baptist Church), and from neighbors eager to help....they were all blessings to us. They made a difference. They helped us to make the best of this experience.
Isaac and I were in the hospital New Years Day, Valentines' Day, Daddy's Birthday, Mother's day, and Easter. If we never stay at another hospital, that would be fine with us, however, we would never have had the opportunity to grow so close together as a family!! Isaac's Favorite ThingsSport: Skatboarding, Soccer, Basketball, Video Games
Ice Cream: Bubble Gum
Movie: G. I. Joe | TV Show: Pokeymon Best Vacation: Daytona Beach, FL Superhero: G. I. Joe |
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