By Rochelle Paterson

Rochelle Paterson is a mother of a childhood cancer survivor, a cancer research advocate and CureSearch supporter.

Our daughter, Rea, was a seemingly healthy and normal toddler until one day, when she began to limp. After a few weeks of medical testing, her doctors found a tennis ball-sized tumor on her left adrenal gland that was wrapped around her aorta. Her full diagnosis was Stage IV High Risk N-MYC Amplified Neuroblastoma with Unfavorable Histology.

At the age of two, Rea had metastatic cancer.

We were devastated and terrified. We didn’t know what to expect and were concerned about how Rea would handle and respond to treatment being so young. 

Pediatric cancer families learn the hard way how underfunded childhood cancer is, how many different types of cancer need cures, and how limited our options often are.We need drugs that are personalized, less harsh and more effective to be available to all children battling cancer, so that survival rates increase with little to no long-term side effects. 

All we could do was listen to the oncologists, follow Rea’s lead and pray that her treatment plan would work. 

Many treatments and a clinical trial

Her protocol consisted of six rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, an autologous stem cell transplant, surgical resection of the primary tumor in her belly and left adrenal gland, 12 doses of radiation, seven months of immunotherapy, and another two years on a drug trial for remission maintenance. Rea was treated at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (JHACH) in St. Petersburg, FL, and we are grateful that she was able to join a clinical trial there. 

Rea and the rest of us stayed as positive as possible 

Thankfully, she responded miraculously well to treatment. She was 2 years old when she was diagnosed and 3-and-a-half when she finished inpatient treatment. She was nearly 6 years old when she completed the clinical trial. Now a happy and active 7-year-old, she has had no evidence of disease for five years! We’re so grateful for Rea’s health, but she does have special needs as a result of the toxic treatments. She has ongoing checkups and medical care with oncology, physical therapy, audiology and other specialty clinics. Treatment left her with one adrenal gland, hearing aids due to high frequency hearing loss, dental issues and chronic pain. For her and all kids that have gone through chemotherapy, radiation, etc., the reality is that even with the gift of survivorship, our children deserve so much better.

Our cancer journey taught us so much.

The main things we took away from our battle with cancer were: to have faith, live your best life, make lots of memories with your loved ones, and try not to sweat the small stuff. We also learned how underfunded childhood cancer is, so we encourage research funding and awareness as much as possible. That is why our family and friends support CureSearch and actively fundraise for the CureSearch Walk in Tampa. We push for support because we want drugs that are personalized, less harsh and more effective to be available to all children battling cancer, so that survival rates can increase with little-to-no long-term side effects.

Have faith and never give up hope.

Rea’s irrepressible personality has been so consistent. During her inpatient days, she would dance through admissions and the nurses joined in.  

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Each year, nearly 700 children like Rea are diagnosed with neuroblastoma in the U.S. Current treatments offer a survival rate of only 50% and have significant, long-term effects, including increased risk of developing deafness, cardiac insufficiency, infertility and additional cancers. CureSearch for Children’s Cancer is funding two neuroblastoma research projects right now at the University of Pennsylvania and Dana Farber Cancer Institute to develop less-toxic treatments and cures. Will you give the gift of research for kids like Rea? Every child deserves a chance to live a long, healthy life. 

The post Have Faith and Never Give up Hope – a Mother’s Story appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

For more than 20 years, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer has been the primary charity beneficiary of the QBE Shootout, a professional golf tournament founded and hosted by legendary golfer Greg Norman. On Dec. 12, the QBE Shootout will welcome 11-year-old cancer survivor Chase Hancock as the featured speaker at its annual Pro-Am Gala. Funds raised from the event accelerate our mission to drive critical pediatric research so more and better treatments can reach kids. 

Each year, more than 15,000 children just like Chase are diagnosed with cancer. In 2018,Chase was living his best 10-year-old life, busy playing basketball, soccer and football. Sports are his passion and his teammates are his best friends. One afternoon, he told his mother that his jaw hurt. The pain worsened and a large lump developed. After multiple trips to the emergency room and a couple of hospital stays, Chase was diagnosed with Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma , Stage lll, a very aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Chase immediately underwent an intense treatment plan and he and his family practically lived at the hospital for months.

Chase’s inner athlete helped him recover. 

He used his athlete’s mindset—his drive and determination—to handle treatment and rebuild his strength. He finished treatment in January 2019 and has been in remission since. 

Now, Chase and his family are dedicated to bringing comfort to families facing childhood cancer and raising funds for critical research. 

“It is my dream to play in the NBA, and when I do, I would like to continue to pay it forward by visiting kids in the hospital and contributing to childhood cancer research,” said Chase. “I know it’s a big goal, but heck, if I beat cancer, I can do anything!”  Founded in 1989 and held annually in Naples, FL, the QBE Shootout has raised more than $13 million for CureSearch and kids like Chase, as well as other charitable causes.

The post Eleven-Year-Old Cancer Survivor to speak at Golfer Greg Norman’s Annual QBE Shootout Event Benefitting CureSearch appeared first on CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

With so many products on offer, all claiming benefits for those trying to save their hair, it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. We offer our favourite five, five natural remedies for hair loss that we can all apply ourselves using products from the local shop. 

Natural Hair Loss Remedies

Since the dawn of time… Well, certainly since men first began to lose hair, natural remedies have taken centre stage in the fight. Before we boil down what has been thousands of years of research into just five natural remedies for hair loss, let’s take a look at some of the history.

From ancient papyrus scrolls to the Greek philosophers, it seems wherever we look we find suggestions on how to fight hair loss. One Egyptian remedy required fats from a hippopotamus, a crocodile, a tomcat, a snake, and an ibex. Another, slightly simpler, saw porcupine hair boiled before being applied to the scalp for four days. Yet another used the leg of a greyhound sauteed in oil with the hoof of a donkey. 

Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, was a famous experimenter. He battled his own hair loss with everything from horseradish to pigeon poop. To his credit, he was the first to notice and document that eunuchs seemed to be impervious to hair loss, and speculated that castration might be a cure. A fact that would ultimately be confirmed by a research team at Duke University in 1995. 

Five Natural Remedies

Liqourice:

Liquorice can help with an irritated scalp and ease skin conditions there, including dandruff. It can also help to open pores and strengthens the follicles. There are plenty of products containing liquorice, shampoos, and ointments, but you can easily prepare your own. Add a tablespoon of the root to a cup of milk to make a paste, apply it to the scalp and hair and leave it on overnight. This can be repeated up to 2 or 3 times a week.

 Coconut Oil:

High in Lauric acid, coconut oil can help bind the protein in hair. This helps to protect the roots and the hair from breakage while the antioxidants aid healthy growth. 

Aloe Vera:

Possibly the most available of all… given that any of us can grow a plant on our kitchen window-sill. Recommended as a routine for those suffering from seborrheic dermatitis and other scalp ailments. Aloe vera clears scalp sebum that can otherwise obstruct hair follicles. Rub aloe vera directly into the scalp every two or three days and leave it on the scalp for 30 mins before washing.

Fish Oil:

Fish oil is high in healthy fats, especially Omega-3. Omega-3 is remarkable, it has anti-inflammatory properties. It can also boost growth by opening up the follicles. 

Ginseng:

This popular herbal remedy has a well-earned reputation for potency across a number of conditions. Applied to the scalp it can strengthen the follicles and hair. It achieves this, it is believed, because the saponins it contains can inhibit 5a reductase, which is related to hair loss in men.

HIS Hair Clinic

Natural remedies can play an important role in the fight against hair loss. They should not, it is important to add, replace the doctor or trichologist as your principal weapons in that fight. Hair loss is an incredibly complex affair, with many causes entirely treatable. 

Your first step, on noticing hair loss, should be a visit to an expert. They will help diagnose the precise cause and prescribe an appropriate course of treatment. Our list of natural remedies can all play a role in supporting that treatment, simple treatments you can apply yourself at home to enhance the work of your expert. The NHS provides some excellent information on natural remedies, for more information click here. 

If you would like to discuss your hair loss situation with one of our friendly team of experts simply complete the contact form at the side of this page, or click here to find your nearest clinic.