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A Young Boy's Journey Back From Cancer The summer of 1998, Roberto Perez-Molina's mother, Yvette, urged her 10-year-old son to be more careful during his playtime. The youngster's arms and legs were frequently covered with large, purple bruises, and Roberto was never sure what caused them. He told his mother that he had not fallen or bumped into anything during the day, and that the bruises were "just appearing." After an appointment with a pediatrician to discuss the mysterious bruises, Roberto was sent for a blood test. On August 17, the pediatrician met with Mrs. Perez-Molina in his office to discuss the results. Roberto's blood counts were low, especially the white blood cells. The bruises on Roberto's body were not caused by clumsiness; they were the result of leukemia. Moreover, Roberto was found to have acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a more serious type of the disease. "When we found out, it was like a nightmare that you wish you could wake up from," recalls Mrs. Perez-Molina and her husband, also named Roberto. "We were living in denial and did not know how to tell Roberto, so at first we did not. Then, as reality sunk in, we were afraid. He kept asking what would happen if the doctor could not get his blood count to be healthy again." Roberto and his family came to The Valerie Fund Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Saint Barnabas for treatment. Blood typing was done for the entire family to find a bone marrow donor, but a match was not found. Although there is a National Marrow Donor Program, minority group members are underrepresented and the registry did not have a matching donor for Roberto. The youngster immediately began intensive chemotherapy. For the next eight months he would be in and out of Saint Barnabas Medical Center, with one two-month stay during a period of particularly intensive treatment. With the help of Roberto's pediatric oncologist, Brenda Sison, M.D., and the Valerie Fund staff, Roberto finished his chemotherapy and has been in remission ever since. "I would like to thank my doctor and all the nurses for being so kind," says Roberto, now age 12. "They have done so much for me." The prognosis for patients with pediatric cancers is better than ever, thanks to improved diagnostics to catch cancer early and to advanced treatments that send the cancer into remission."With new research, there is a higher cure rate for pediatric cancers," says Dr. Sison. "The Valerie Fund Children's Center is a member of the Children's Oncology Group, which provides state-of-theart research protocols to help us give the best treatment available." A Family Affair Caring for a child with cancer can be trying for the entire family, as the Perez-Molinas discovered. At times, Roberto's younger brother, Julian, then age four, resented the amount of attention his brother was receiving. At other points, he was anxious when Roberto was away and demanded to be able to stay with him in the hospital. The strain of the situation was also stressful for the boy's parents, both of whom dedicated many hours to staying with Roberto during his treatments. "An illness like that brings a lot of tension to a marriage," says Mrs. Perez-Molina. "We were both tired and agitated and sometimes you need to vent, so you take it out on each other. I was staying with Roberto in the hospital Friday through Sunday and visiting him every weekday after work from 4 to 10 p.m. Then his father would stay overnight with him until 10 a.m. the next day. It was really a family effort." In addition to his mother and father, Roberto received support from his grandmother, aunts, godmother and other relatives. Although he had a tutor for the school year during which he required periodic hospitalization, Roberto returned to school the following year and was welcomed by his teacher and classmates. "I remember talking to my grandmother and she said, 'You are going to be okay. God is here with you,'" says Roberto. "That really lifted me up and I felt better." The entire family says that faith played a huge role in the process and helped them to find strength. The Valerie Fund staff remembers Roberto's strength and courage. "Roberto is a very mature individual and a strong person," relates Dr. Sison. "It was a pleasure taking care of him, even when he was in a crisis situation." A positive atmosphere at The Valerie Fund Children's Center also helped the family's spirits. Dr. Sison arranged Roberto's chemotherapy so that he could be home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve. These breaks were a very special time for the family. Roberto also attended Camp Happy Times, a summer camp for children with cancer, and he thoroughly enjoyed the new friends and fun times spent "just being a kid." "It was very exciting to go back," he adds. "The teacher talked to the class about me and the kids all treated me the same way as before. It did not matter because to them, I was still a friend." The physical toll of cancer is difficult for patients of any age. Roberto recalls that he felt tired and feverish on a regular basis, with headaches and nausea. Mrs. Perez-Molina remembers a four-week period when Roberto completely lost his appetite from the chemotherapy and would not eat anything. The first food he retained was half a grilled cheese sandwich. An Emotional Journey In addition to physical pain, young cancer patients have a host of emotional issues to face. Roberto recalls his frequent prayers and questions as to why this was happening to him. A soft-spoken altar boy with a warm smile and loving manner, Roberto often wondered why cancer had come into his life. Now a happy, healthy preteen, Roberto considers each day a blessing. "I hear people complaining about this and that and I know it is not so bad." He adds. "They could go to sleep and not wake up tomorrow. I think I'm a stronger person now." The end of Roberto's chemotherapy coincided with his birthday, and Mr. and Mrs. Perez-Molina and Julian celebrate the passing of each year with special significance. "I get mushy and cry at his birthday," says his mother. "Every birthday is such a happy one because he made it another year." To reach The Valerie Fund Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, please call (973) 322-2800. To join the registry for the National Marrow Donor Program, call 1-888-999-6743 or visit their web site at www.marrow.org. The Blood Center of New Jersey in East Orange can be reached at [ top ] |
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