As parents, we are advocates for our children whether old or young, whether in sickness or in health. In the world we live in today, I wouldn’t send my kids to the park or to a birthday party unless I had all the details. When your kid has cancer, you don’t hand your child over to the medical community and “trust” in the system to care for your child, and expect to “hear back” when your child is healthy and cured!
Real Life Cancer Story
In March 2003 we discovered Nick’s second cancer. Tammy had noticed that Nick’s prosthetic eye was protruding from his face more so than normal. We asked our physicians for an MRI and had a difficult time getting it “scheduled”. In addition, our insurance company did not “authorize” such a preventive procedure. On March 23, we had the MRI done without the blessings of the doctors and without the blessings of the insurance company. On the evening of March 23 they discovered the large mass in Nick’s head: Rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor was within a few millimeters of his brain and growing.
Our situation is no different from any situation a parent might encounter on an ordinary day. We know our kids better than anyone and so whether it is directing treatment for cancer, making sure they get the best education or have the right friends, I think parents should always act as advocates for our children and we shouldn’t be shy about it, especially when it comes to your child’s health!