A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

Posts tagged ‘Childhood Cancer Survivor’

Treasures in Heaven

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Dear Oprah,

Thank you for your compassion in reading my daily letters requesting you to do a show on childhood cancer. People keep reminding me that time is running out. Since this is your last season, I know chances are becoming slimmer and slimmer that you will answer positively. Yet, I can’t give up, and I won’t give up.

We, as a society, cannot continue to ignore childhood cancer. There are 40,000 children in the U.S. battling cancer today. We are more interested in the lives of the rich and famous and badly behaved people of the world than in turning our attention to fight for the most vulnerable, our seriously ill children.

This is just wrong.

I love this verse:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19

Imagine the Treasure we could leave here on this Earth. I imagine a large table (like Mr. Trump in The Apprentice,) with childhood cancer experts and members of The Giving Pledge gathered for a Pow-Wow about building the Childhood Cancer War Machine that will decimate childhood cancer. I see their faces: Dr. L. Hartwell, Dr. E. Kleinerman, Dr. Bruzynski, Dr. P. Adamson, Dr. J. Schiffman, Dr. Curran, CureSearch, St. Baldrick’s, PAC2, Kids V Cancer, Members of the Pediatric Cancer Caucus, and interspersed with them, The Giving Pledge members: Mr. and Mrs. Case, Mr. and Mrs. Gates, Mr. Zuckerberg, Mr. Icahn, Mr. Milken, and all others.

At the end of this show, I see a gigantic celebration of the beginning of change… streamers, balloons, and confetti streaming from the sky while tears stream down audience members’ faces. We cannot wait another day to act in a huge way to cure childhood cancer. Children are a treasure here on Earth.

I cannot imagine a greater Treasure for Heaven than ending their suffering.

Grateful for your care,

 Melinda 

Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

 

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Persistence in the Mission of Hope

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Dear Oprah,

It is me, Melinda again, writing to ask you to please do a show on childhood cancer. The purpose of my daily letters is not to annoy you, but to engage you in my mission of hope. If you look at the Oprah, Please Do a Show on Childhood Cancer Facebook page today, you will see many stories of children who have fought cancer, along with shocking statistics of how childhood cancer is overlooked and underfunded.

If you look closely at the stories, you will find many common threads. One very startling thread is the common denominator of children with cancer being misdiagnosed. It is appalling that parents take their children to appointment after appointment, doctor after doctor, and still, their child’s cancer is not found until it spreads to the point of no hope for recovery. I do not blame doctors for this. This is a problem in our society. There is so little awareness that children are dying as a result.

Over the past year, I have been blessed, and at the same time saddened, by communications with other children with cancer. They fight so hard. They just want to be normal. Their families are ravaged and devastated. Unfortunately, children do not vote, children do not earn income, and children do not have the same rights as adults. How can children fight for the same “Cancer Rights” that adults have earned?

They can’t.

These children are depending on us. Future children are depending on us. Please gather childhood cancer experts with members of The Giving Pledge for the purpose of creating an enormous Childhood Cancer War Machine.

This spectacular machine would guarantee:

*Earlier detection for childhood cancers

*Less toxic treatments for childhood cancers

*Great follow-up care for children with cancer

I want this with all of my heart. I will persist. Yes, I will keep persisting until I engage you in this mission.

With great hope,

Melinda

16 Year-Old Author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Last Chemo Day at Cottage Hospital

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Like No One Else…

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Dear Oprah,

I absolutely love how you have taught your audience, over the years, how to live their “best lives.” Although I am only sixteen years old, I have emerged from an experience that has clearly illustrated to me how I am to live my “best life.” That experience was battling Hodgkin lymphoma when I was thirteen, and I am living my best life by pouring my heart and soul into helping other children with cancer.

Did you know?

Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killing children.

Every school day, 46 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer– 12,500 children each year.

One out of every five children diagnosed with cancer will die; in some forms of childhood cancer, one out of every five children will live.

The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown and cannot be prevented.

When children are diagnosed with cancer, 80% have advanced stages of the disease, compared with 20% of adults.

One of my favorite words is “gelatinous.”  (Just making sure you are paying attention!)

 There are 40,000 children in the United States battling cancer as I write this.

Will you please, please, Oprah, shine your light on childhood cancer?  If you would open your heart to this request, childhood cancer would suffer a serious blow to its cruel and evil existence. Like no one else, you can bring awareness to childhood cancer. Like no one else, you can help begin the process of driving childhood cancer to extinction.

Like no one else, you can…

Will you?

Please?

Melinda

16 Year-Old Author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Nurse Cyndi, the Blue Chemo Fairy

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The Magic Wand

 

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Dear Oprah,

It’s me, Melinda again, with Part II of my “Squeak-Squeak”2011 New Year Letter to you.  I am inspired, motivated, and thankful to be a soldier in the passionate Facebook army of over 51,000 people who are asking you to do a show on childhood cancer.  Suddenly, my “Squeak” is multiplied many times over, with others writing letters to you daily. This is our way of demonstrating the immediate need for action. We are calling upon you because we believe you are the person who will be caring, willing, and able to accomplish the monumental task of gathering together the building blocks of a Childhood Cancer War Machine.

Instead of allowing space to quote statistics today, I will use all of the space to speak straight from my heart. I did not “decide” to become a soldier in this army. This mission chose me; there is no way I can turn my back on the children who are suffering. When I think about the children who will have to suffer in the future if we do not act now, I cannot sleep; I cannot breathe. Not only do we need to act now, but we need to act in a HUGE way!

In addition to being a soldier in the Facebook movement and army to help children with cancer, I am a full-time soldier in God’s army. My cancer story– my life story– is a story of faith, and my faith guides me, leads me, and challenges me to do what God has placed before me to do.

What He has asked me to do is to help His sick and suffering children.

Oprah, I need your help. Just itty-bitty Melinda cannot do this alone. Please gather together childhood cancer experts with members of The Giving Pledge. Make something amazing and magical happen! You hold the “Magic Wand” in your hands.

Please wave your Magic Wand over Childhood Cancer.

I believe in your magic,

Melinda

16 Year-Old Author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Getting Ready for a PET Scan

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Happy New Year, Squeak-Squeak!

Dear Oprah,

I wish Happy New Year to you and your staff. The very first thing I must do in 2011 is to write to you (again—appreciate your patience, letter reader producers.) There are those who wonder why I “waste” my time writing each day to you. Although I know my voice is barely a “Squeak,” I will keep “Squeaking” to help bring awareness and a cure for childhood cancer.

Childhood cancer is devastating beyond what my words here can describe. I understand why it has been overlooked in awareness, funding and research. It is just too hard for people to look. It is too gut-wrenching for people to truly comprehend the suffering of the children and their families. What I have learned is that a cure for childhood cancer is within our reach. CureSearch and Children’s Oncology Group state that with adequate funding, a cure for childhood cancer is within our reach.

Funding.

Lack of money for research is the MONSTER aiding childhood cancer to continue its destruction.

What I am asking, Oprah, is that you please gather experts on childhood cancer together with those philanthropists who have pledged to give away large portions of their fortunes so that we can begin building an enormous Childhood Cancer War Machine.

How is it that our country has the funds to build war machines that kill, but we won’t build one to save the lives of our dearly loved children? Please help me make 2011 the year that we make childhood cancer run for its life.

Me and my “Squeak” will be checking in with you again tomorrow,

With great hope,

Melinda

16 Year-Old Author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery 

 

 

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Some Serious Gratitude

Nicholas, Mom, and I drove to Santa Barbara today and spent the day with Jaynie =) Shopping, beach, Rowan and Maclintock, lunch at Brophy Brothers… some serious gratitude…

So much gratitude, my joy from the day is spilling over into my letter of the day to Oprah.

Dear Oprah,

By the grace of God, I traveled today through Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and over the Cachuma Pass to a sight I will never forget—the crystal clear Pacific Ocean glowing with a light I have never seen before, with all of the Channel Islands lined up in a row. The spectacular sight made me think about how the most important things in life are not things. What I am writing to ask you for is not a thing, but it is certainly spectacular!

Oprah, will you please do a show on childhood cancer?

I am a sixteen year-old, cancer-surviving “soldier” in the Army against childhood cancer. Please know that I am not asking to be on your show. I am asking you to please have a show that will educate your audience that cancer is the #1 disease killing children. 80% of children who are diagnosed with cancer have advanced stages of the disease, compared to 20% in adults. If you would choose to shine your light on childhood cancer, this statistic alone could take a MAJOR tumble!

I think of how many children’s lives you could save with just one show. I think of the magnificent scene I had the blessing of viewing today and I imagine. I imagine all of those children who will never get to see anything like what I just saw today.

My gratitude sets me on fire to change what is and what should not be.

With my appreciation to my producer friends who keep reading my letters,

Melinda

16 year-old author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

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Can’t Stop Imagining…

Dear Oprah,

My name is Melinda Marchiano, and I am sixteen years old. Three years ago this day, I was at Cottage Hospital receiving chemo for Hodgkin lymphoma. You can imagine my gratitude today. Really, unless you have been taken to the brink of death over and over again, you cannot—even with the best imagination—come close to knowing the elation I feel.

The gratitude I feel for my life spills over into deep care for children who are facing their own cancer diagnosis. Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killing children. 80% of children who are diagnosed with cancer have advanced stages of the disease, compared with 20% in adults. We have come far in helping adults become aware, but heart-wrenchingly, we as a society fall horribly behind in education about childhood cancer. The results of this lack of awareness are devastating!

For these reasons, I have joined with 51,000 others to ask you to please do a show on childhood cancer. I imagine what you could do; your voice reaches far. Gosh Oprah, my heart knows how much you can help.

Praying for this miracle… can’t stop imagining,

Melinda

P. S. Hi Producers… hope you are having a nice day– me again:)

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Oh What a Gift for the World!

Dear Oprah,

Hi, it’s me again, Melinda. I don’t mean to exasperate your producers by sending letters to you every day; I am part of the 51,000 people- Facebook movement asking you to do a show on childhood cancer. This is our way of expressing the urgency of our heartfelt request for you to give a voice to childhood cancer. I can honestly say that I am not aware of one person who is doing this so that they can have a moment of fame on your show, but rather, because we have seen the devastation and we want to share ways we can lessen it.

Childhood cancer is largely ignored by NCI and the American Cancer Society. They provide very little funding for research in comparison to adult cancers. Children with cancer are being killed by their treatments—we need less toxic treatments now. CureSearch and Children’s Oncology Group say that with adequate funding, a cure is within our reach. Will you please help to gather those wonderful philanthropists who want to make a difference by giving away their fortunes? We can cure childhood cancer by proper funding! Money! What an incredible gift we could share with the children of this world!!! It makes sense to me that finding a cure for childhood cancer would also help adults with cancer.

Let’s gather the people who care.

Let’s raise the funds.

Let’s strangle childhood cancer until there is no life left in it.

Oh what a gift for the world.

Let’s do it.

With utmost sincerity,

Melinda

16 year-old author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

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My Christmas Day Letter to Oprah

 

My Christmas Day Letter to Oprah…

Dear Oprah,

My name is Melinda Marchiano and I am sixteen years old. When I was thirteen, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Today, I am in remission and working hard to stop childhood cancer—yes, I am writing to you on Christmas Day. If I could open my heart for you to look inside, what you would see is a whole ton of gratitude. It is this gratitude inside me that drives me to become a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves.

Oprah, CureSearch and Children’s Oncology Group state that with adequate funding, a cure is within our reach.  I believe them. What you could do, by giving a voice to childhood cancer, is astronomical in scope. When children are diagnosed with cancer, 80% are at advanced stages—compared to 20% in adults. I cannot sit silently with my “cure” and allow my fellow young cancer patients to continue their battles without fighting with everything I have for their cure too. Just by raising awareness, we can all make a difference. Today is the day to begin to stop the suffering. We need awareness. We need funds for research. We need a cure. Today.

As I looked around the table today at all of my family at our Christmas feast, I could not have been more thankful. At the same time, I will admit that thoughts of the Nunn family… who lost their seven year-old son Max this past Thanksgiving Day to brain cancer…danced through my heart all day long.

Please Oprah, please do a show on childhood cancer,

Melinda

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Larry Ate a Bag of Hershey Kisses

Happy Holidays everyone! Are there wrapping paper, tape, scissors, ribbon, bows, cookies, candy, Hershey Kisses everywhere? 

Yikes, we had near disaster tonight in our Christmas/pet chaos. It’s been raining for four days, and our dog Larry has been spending time inside with us during the day rather than his usual outdoor spot. Snowie, our Miss Princess pure white kitty, HATES the rain and climbs screens and screams incessantly until someone lets her in. Well, the laundry room is her usual spot at night, but during the day– especially with my brothers home– the washer and dryer are constantly running. Snowie HATES to be in the laundry room with the equipment running. So, here we have two animals indoors with us for days who are usually outside… and then I will add to the chaos…

Our other cat, Miss Smooth, Calm, Cool and Collected at all Times, Oreo, has been missing for nearly three days. She can’t stand to come in at night because she has to sleep in the laundry room with Snowie. It’s been raining hard and all of our family had become concerned about Oreo by today.

Guess who showed up?

Oreo. Who knows where she’s been? She’s pretty plump, not skinny like I thought she’d be. Maybe she was out eating baby frogs– yuck– she likes to eat baby frogs and I can hear a whole bunch of them “Ribbiting” out there.

Anyway, Oreo shows up and my mom sees her through the laundry room window. She takes the laundry, dumps it on her bed, and goes outside to check on Oreo, to be sure she was okay.

In the meantime, Larry spied the door my mom had momentarily left open to check on Oreo. Larry had a wonderful time with the shopping bags on my mom’s floor and had no problem in locating the one with the Hershey Kisses in no time flat.

Larry devoured half a bag– also in no time flat– before my mom discovered the scene of Larry with his nose in the bag gobbling. She scared the living daylights out of me with her scream!

The report from the Emergency Vet:

According to the amount of chocolate that Larry ingested, he will have a “mild” reaction.

Phew!

Rain and pet chaos. Anyone else have a good story?

Larry and Oreo Curled up together in his Bed

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