When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the most important step is to find a cure. But often, that cure comes at a cost. Treatments for cancer and blood disorders often have a major impact on patients’ lives and can leave survivors with emotional scars during and after treatment. Too often, children face the challenges of being different, which can impact them for decades to come.
Shauna Rae is a childhood cancer survivor and reality TV star, who, at 24 years old, continues to live in her adolescent body after treatments prevented her from typical growth. Shauna continues to live with the consequences of her cancer therapy. On September 18, during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, she and Dr. James Klosky, Director of Psychology & Neuropsychology at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Atlanta, will share stories and have a candid discussion about the often-neglected emotional needs of patients and families. To learn more information, visit www.Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter
Shauna Rae is a childhood cancer survivor and reality TV star, who, at 24 years old, continues to live in her adolescent body after treatments prevented her from typical growth. Shauna continues to live with the consequences of her cancer therapy. On September 18, during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, she and Dr. James Klosky, Director of Psychology & Neuropsychology at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Atlanta, will share stories and have a candid discussion about the often-neglected emotional needs of patients and families. To learn more information, visit www.Aflac.com/BridgeToBrighter
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 It's National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and childhood cancers can impact children's lives physically and emotionally
00:06 And I talked with reality star Shauna Ray and Dr. James Kalski about the emotional impact of childhood cancer
00:14 Good morning, Shauna Ray and doctor. How are you doing this morning?
00:19 Good, how are you? Thanks for having us. I'll tell you Shauna Ray
00:23 Let's talk about your story because it's a very interesting story
00:26 And of course how cancer impacts your life and how you are literally
00:30 Making a difference in getting the word out about how you got cancer
00:35 Yeah, so I was diagnosed with brain cancer at six months
00:40 and then I went into chemo and I went under going multiple chemo treatments and
00:45 Later in life, they found I had a physical tool, which was my pituitary dorphism
00:50 But they really overshadowed that mental emotional and social toll because of the physical impact my cancer
00:57 Shauna Ray I love that you are letting people know how children are trying to make people understand about having child cancer
01:05 So let's talk a little more about that
01:07 Yeah, so going through cancer whether you're a family member or the doctor or you're actually the patient
01:14 It can be a very lonely feeling because you're not really focusing on how you're doing emotionally and socially
01:21 You're focused on survivorship. You're focused on getting rid of the cancer permanently and just kind of trying to go back into normal life
01:29 But that transition can be really hard
01:31 and that's why I love the my special aflac duck because it's a robotic duck that can have the
01:37 Same kind of emotion cues and go through the treatments that the child is undergoing
01:41 Yeah, and doctor let's talk about the biggest challenge that kids and family have when they go through cancer treatment
01:49 Yeah, well, fortunately Brad the majority of children and adolescents who are diagnosed and treated for cancer will be cured
01:57 But survivorship comes at a cost
02:00 As they age over 95% of survivors will experience at least one chronic health condition
02:06 With over 80% experiencing late effects that are serious disabling or life-threatening in nature
02:12 These conditions can be visible or invisible and express at different times
02:17 That's why I love working with a company like a flak cancer and blood disorder Center that
02:22 Understands the need for treating the whole child across their lifespan from diagnosis to active treatment to life and cancer survivorship
02:30 These kids will always be part of the athletic family and I'm so happy to be a part of it
02:35 Yeah, Shauna, let's talk about how important is to get the community involved and how you are very outspoken about that. I
02:42 Think having a community one is very important
02:46 But being involved with the community whether you're a cancer survivor or know someone battling cancer or have never experienced it
02:53 It's extremely important because one it helps break the stigma that comes with cancer
02:58 It helps build empathy and it helps rehabilitate those children or those survivors
03:03 Once they've gone through the battle and they've done all the work and they have survived
03:08 Yeah, this is for the doctor, but I want Sean to answer it too. But doctor, let's talk about advice giving to parents
03:14 How they can talk to other family members how they can talk to their teachers how they can talk to
03:19 Just the community when a child's going through child cancer
03:22 Well, I think my advice would be is to lead with kindness among my patients
03:27 There's no question that a diagnosis of childhood cancer and treatment can be traumatic
03:32 But many of our survivors also report things like post-traumatic growth or resiliency as a result of treatment
03:39 promoting ideals such as
03:41 tolerance and inclusion and acceptance
03:43 Help survivors to best integrate with their communities after cancer treatment and resume their lives with this little disruption as possible
03:51 I completely agree with Dr. Plosky and I think that it is super important to have that
03:58 because without
04:00 promoting the positivity
04:02 Promoting the survivorship and the benefit of knowing early prevention and stuff like that
04:08 You want again break that stigma but also have that community and make that child feel less alone
04:15 Which is why AFLAC is so important and what they're trying to achieve. Yeah, Shauna doctor. I thank you very much and Shauna
04:22 I want you not to stop talking about this. I don't want you. I know you as an adult you continue this
04:27 So please do it. I think it's important and where can we find more information?
04:31 You can find more information at AFLAC.com/bridge-to-brighter
04:37 Perfect. Thank you both for joining us this morning
04:39 Thank you for having us
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