Childhood Brain & Spinal Cord Tumors by Nancy Keene

Childhood Brain & Spinal Cord Tumors by Nancy Keene

Each year about 4,000 children and teens in the United States are diagnosed with a brain or spinal cord tumor. The illness and its treatment can have devastating effects on family, friends, schoolmates, and the larger community. This newly updated edition contains essential information families need during this difficult time. It includes descriptions of the newest treatments, such as computer-assisted surgery, stem cell transplants, and targeted therapies as well as practical advice about how to cope with diagnosis, medical procedures, hospitalization, school, and finances. Effective ways to form a partnership with the medical team are provided, as are resources for medical information, emotional support, and financial assistance. The poignant and practical stories from more than 100 children with brain or spinal cord tumors and their parents show the personal side of diagnosis and treatment. Parents who read this book will find simply explained medical facts, advice to ease their daily life, and tools to be a strong advocate for their child.

Nancy Keene, a well-known writer and champion for children in hospitals, has authored or co-authored twelve consumer health books on issues ranging from pediatric ailments to dealing with your doctor. Reader's Digest, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Exceptional Parent, and Coping magazine have all featured her work. She was the chair of a consortium of 350 children's hospitals' patient advocacy committee, as well as a member of a U.S. A committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looked into the medications supplied to sick youngsters. Keene has been interviewed on NPR, speaks to professional and parent organizations frequently, and has been a member of online support groups for parents of sick children since 1996.