Some of the most courageous cancer crusaders are children. At Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, the strength we see in these kids is awe-inspiring.
Unlike some cancers in adults that have known causes, such as lung cancer from smoking and skin cancer from sun exposure, most cancers in children have no known cause. A lot of research has been done, and a lot more is being done, but so far there is no known cause or risk factor for most childhood cancers.
However, childhood is an important time for kids to start engaging in healthy habits. We encourage families to start eating well-balanced meals, getting exercise and using sunscreen. These measures have great benefits for kids, and when they become habits they will help protect against adult cancers later in life.
There are many different types of cancer, and the signs and symptoms depend on where the cancer is located. The most common type of cancer in children is leukemia, and the most common type of leukemia is acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Fortunately, in addition to being the most common, it is generally the most curable.
Kapiolani is part of the Children’s Oncology Group, an international organization of children’s hospitals that offers clinical trials with standardized protocol-driven care so Hawaii’s children have access to the same medical advances and treatments as children nationwide.
Children treated on clinical trials do better and have higher cure rates than those without access to such trials. In fact, the excellent cure rate for childhood cancer has come about through years of clinical trials. More than 80 percent of children with cancer will now be cured. Almost all of our patients at Kapiolani are treated on clinical trials. The main reason why the remainder are not on a clinical trial is that there is nothing available at the time for that patient’s specific cancer.
The majority of Hawaii’s children with cancer are treated at Kapiolani, where we can provide comprehensive, specialized cancer care for children and adolescents. We are the only center in the state that performs bone marrow transplants for children.
It takes a team to fight childhood cancer. The most important members of the team are the child and the family, but Kapiolani provides a multidisciplinary team to help in that fight. Patients’ needs are discussed in weekly team meetings that include a wide range of therapists and specialists to address every aspect of the child’s physical and emotional health. We also have an educator liaison who coordinates tutoring and services for children who miss a lot of school due to their illness.
Our patients are provided with every available health resource, including a warm and friendly atmosphere. A good environment is critical to the healing process. It is why we provide these kids with specialized kid-friendly support.
To make clinical tests less scary for kids, we have outfitted our CT scanner with an underwater theme. Special audiovisual goggles allow children to watch movies while they are in the MRI scanner. We also have a large indoor and outdoor playroom with a superb staff.
Our pediatric floor boasts fish tanks and colorful murals. Patients also get frequent visits from Tucker the therapy dog, who can always cheer them up when no one else can. These are just some examples of what we do to go above and beyond for our brave kids with cancer.
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Dr. Darryl Glaser practices pediatric oncology and pediatric hematology and pediatrics at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. “Health Scene” features information and advice from Hawaii health care professionals.
