Pushing cancer to the sidelines

September marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of all the children living with the disease, the doctors and nurses who devote their lives to treating them and the researchers who are working tirelessly for a cure, former Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center patient Greg Devlin, shares his story about the teamwork that allowed him to overcome cancer. Greg Before I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in August of 2007 I was an all star basketball player. At the age of 11 I led my AAU basketball team to a third place finish in the Massachusetts State Tournament. I hit three buzzer beaters during the tournament, including the all-important shot to capture third place. As an athlete who played a lot of high-contact sports like basketball and football I was no stranger to a couple of bruises every now and again, but in the weeks leading up to my diagnosis I noticed that I had been bruising very easily and abnormally compared to my teammates. I had very dark bruises on my legs and arms, and batches of little red dots all over my skin. Others told me that I looked pale. I was never at a loss for breath or overly tired—I felt fit enough to make every game and practice—but the constant bruising was the big indicator that something was wrong. My parents made an appointment with my doctor who recommended a bunch of special tests, including some for cancer. When one of the tests showed I had aplastic anemia, I was crushed. The doctors told ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Cancer Diseases & conditions Our patients’ stories childhood cancer Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center National Childhood Cancer Awarness Month Source Type: news