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Sarah's Story 2
March 24, 2008 |
Two years ago Lara McKeown thought her daughter Sarah was coming down with the
Flu. But within days the McKeown family learned it was much more serious, their
little girl had leukemia. Lara says, “Within a very short period of time all
kinds of things were happening.” Sarah was quickly admitted as an oncology
patient at the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. “The nurses were all
quickly working to get what she needed and within a short period of time she was
getting a bag of blood and it was completely scary for Sarah,” says Lara. She
was comforted to know that along with the nursing staff there was an entire team
of specialist’s right by her family’s side. “I remember Judy she’s a social
worker coming in and comforting us and you know anything we needed they were
there for us. They help educate us as to what leukemia is. It’s very calm and
very comforting and I don’t know how to describe it but it’s just a place where
you know you’re in the right place.” Dr. Kim Shimoda is a psychologist that
works with oncology patients at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
She says, “We are able to provide a significant amount of support at that early
time to help families cope with that diagnosis and to begin to adjust to their
new lives.” When you’re two years old, sometimes the simplest things can help
you get through cancer treatment. “Dr. Shimoda came in and she helped us with a
calendar to show Sarah you know how many days she would be here and that was
great tools to you know helps kids cross the day off put stickers on it I got
through today,” says Lara. Sarah has been on an intense medication schedule for
two years. In next week’s Health Matters find out how Sarah and her family are
doing now. Leukemia is the most common cancer found in children and adolescents. |
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