Tips for staying healthy

We may all think that we are healthy, however, Leukaemia is unpredictable and unpreventable, no one would know when one will get Leukaemia.

I’m not saying that you will get cancer one day.. But it is always good to prevent yourself from cancer by keeping a healthy body, isn’t it?

Many cancer deaths could be prevented by making healthy choices like not smoking, staying at a healthy weight, eating right, keeping active, and getting recommended screening tests.

Following are a few tips on staying healthy and possibly stay away from cancer.

• Stay away from Tabacco

Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. Xhewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.

Avoiding tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health decisions you can make. It’s also an important part of cancer prevention. If you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting.

• Eat a healthy diet
  • eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
  • avoid obesity
  • moderation or none alcohol
• Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active

Maintaining a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney.Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.

Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better.

• Protect yourself from the sun
  • avoid midday sun
  • stay in the shade
  • cover exposed areas
  • don’t skimp on sunscreen
  • avoid tanning beds and sunlamps

5 ways to cure Leukaemia

Leukemia treatment varies based on the age, severity and the leukemia cells found in the fluid. There are various types of treatments available for leukemia – biological therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and the radiation therapy. Surgical removal of the spleen is also required at times.

The overall health of the affected is also considered and it is always advised to consult the doctor to offer the right treatment for leukemia. Sometimes, a combination of one or more treatment methods is also used. Following are 5 effective and mostly used treatments for Leukaemia:

• Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is offered in various ways. The patients are given the medicines that can be taken orally. The drugs are also given into the vein through the IV tube. The drugs can also be given through a catheter.

The catheter is placed on the chest and the drug is sent through this to the vein. This is an alternative to injection which may spoil the veins and skin. Intrathecal therapy is given if leukemia cells are found in the brain fluid.

• Targeted Therapy

Chronic and acute leukemia are treated with the targeted therapy. The drugs are suggested in this method. The drugs administered are the Imatinib tablets, which are the first approved drugs to be used for the targeted therapy. This therapy helps in spoiling the growth of the leukemia cells.

The abnormal protein which is responsible for the growth of the leukemia cells is blocked. There are a few side effects associated and the doctors often give medications to overcome the side effects.

• Biological Therapy

This therapy aims at enhancing the immune system of the body to fight against leukemia naturally. The substance called monoclonal antibody is given through the IV tube. This substance has toxins and gets itself fixed with the leukemia cells. The toxins present in the monoclonal antibody destroy the leukemia cells.

Interferon is another biological therapy used. This decreases the growth rate of the leukemia cells. It can be injected under the skin’s layer or in the muscles. This also destroys the defense system of the leukemia cells.

• Radiation Therapy

This treatment involves the passing of high radio waves to destroy the leukemia cells. The radio waves are passed from huge machines to the various parts of the body like spleen and brain where the leukemia cells are located.

This therapy has to be done for 5 days a week and shall continue for many weeks. There are many side effects associated. The patients need to rest, but also need to remain active as much as possible as the continuous radio therapy can make anyone tired.

• Stem Cell Replacement

Most of the aforementioned therapies destroy not only the leukemia cells but also the blood cells which make it essential to receive the stem cell therapy. This therapy leads to the growth of new blood cells. Before the chemotherapy and radio therapy are done, the stem cells can be removed from your body.

They are stored and transplanted later. The stem cells can also be transplanted from the close family members and identical twins.Treatment of leukemia has severe side effects. When you undergo these treatments, it is essential to check with the doctor about the possible side effects and prepare yourself for the same.

Source: Ayurvedic Cure

Success story: Eva – “You’re the answer to curing cancer”

Eva shares her story of being diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four, with a look into the process of her treatment and recovery. In the same year of her diagnosis, her father Timothy Hooten was also diagnosed with leukemia, and Eva expresses her experience of triumph and hope through those challenges.

It is always so grateful to see all these successful cases.

These stories always gives us hope and encourages more people to help the ones in need.

Eva said it: “You’re the answer to curing cancer”.

How can YOU help them? Some existing methods

The name of this campaign is “You are the cure” which means that YOU are the one that can help these children fight Leukaemia.

So how can you help?

Apart from following “you are the cure” campaign and raising awareness of the disease among children, following are a collection of currently existing organisations and methods in Australia, if you really want to help these kids, please do so!!!

Cancer Council Australia

• volunteering
• participating in events
• make a donation to help fund cancer research, education and support services
• website: http://www.cancer.org.au/

Leukaemia Foundation of Australia:

• support a campaign
• give a donation
• join a fundraising event
• fundraise
• buy from online shop
• support through your business
• volunteer
• donate blood or bone marrow
• website:http://www.leukaemia.org.au/how-to-help/how-to-help

As you can see, there’s so much you could do if you really want to help those kids . Now it’s your turn to make a change, the kids are waiting for you!

How getting Leukaemia affects school and study

In many cases a diagnosis of cancer is very disruptive to schooling and other studies.

Children undergoing long-term treatments for leukaemia, may have interrupted school attendance during treatment and at other times when they are unwell. They may miss their school friends and the social life that comes with being a student. This may be true also for young adults at university or other training institutions, and for well children, where the family has had to relocate for specialist treatment. At times the patient may feel bored, left behind or forgotten about by their friends.

Visits from friends, classmates or teachers can be very beneficial. If a child is undergoing treatment it is natural, as a parent, to feel that they may be missing out at school. Be assured however that children do catch up. In the meantime they often gain valuable experiences from their time away from school which can be a special bonding time with parents.

Suggestions

• Try to keep some contact with the child’s school and encourage the staff and students to maintain an ongoing interest in the child’s welfare. This will not only benefit them now but will also make the transition back to school easier. The child’s teacher may be able to supply lessons from school.
• Keep the teacher/school informed of the child’s progress. Encourage them to keep in contact with the child through visits, phone calls, letters from class mates, cards or posters with thoughtful messages, videos or emails.
• When the child does return to school, encourage the teachers and students to treat the child as ‘normal’ – just as one of the class – while at the same time discuss any special needs they might have. Tiredness and risk of infection are important concerns.
• Prepare other students for the way the child may look (for example baldness), how they might feel about returning to school (anxious, excited, self-conscious) and how they might make things easier for their classmate (acceptance, inviting them to ‘join in’).

Source: Leukaemia Foundation

How does it feel if you are a Leukaemia patient

It is normal to react with extreme fear, disbelief and confusion. You may become angry or even furious with the doctor or those around you. There may be a sense of numbness or that the situation is not real, that a ‘mistake’ has been made. Naturally most parents experience their worst fear of all – the possibility of losing their child. This is a very normal reaction but it is worth remembering that survival rates for many childhood cancers are currently very good, and will continue to improve in the future. It takes time to adjust to the diagnosis of your child’s leukaemia. However, with enough time, enough information and a great deal of support, the shock of the diagnosis will be replaced by the reality of the situation and what you need to do next.

There are many and varied demands placed on parents and families when a child is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Many urgent decisions need to be made about treatments and procedures and in many cases the care of siblings and other dependent family members. Treatment requires specialist care that is only available at metropolitan and regional hospitals. As a result many parents and other family members have to spend some time away from the comfort of their own home and adjust to new and unfamiliar surroundings.

Source: Leukaemia Foundation

Success story: Leslie – she fought Leukaemia and won!

Here is a case of successfully fighting Leukaemia!

Nine months after first being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Leslie Rodriguez is getting back to being a healthy, happy kid. She’s in school and accumulating honors like it’s nothing. It’s a stark difference from June 2013 when her world was turned upside down the day she found out she had cancer. Her six months of treatment at Miami Children’s Hospital had ups and downs, but Leslie and her family had faith that the doctors here would make her better.

This is just one of many successful Leukaemia cases, proving that if we have faith and encourage children with Leukaemia, they will eventually win and fight back their happy and healthy lives! Let’s make this happen by showing more concern and support!

7 symptoms of children getting Leukaemia

You can not tell who is going to get Leukaemia, the cause for the disease have not yet been exactly made sure, it can just appear suddenly.. Following are some symptoms of Leukaemia, if your child have the symptoms below, please make sure to take them to a doctor. However, please note that having the symptoms below doesn’t mean that the child has Leukaemia, it might be just common childhood diseases.

• Symptom 1: Bruising and Bleeding

A child with leukemia may bleed more than expected after a minor injury or nosebleed. The child may also bruise easily, or have small red spots on the skin, caused by tiny blood vessels that have bled.

• Symptom 2: Abdominal Problems

A child with leukemia may complain of a bellyache. That’s because leukemia cells can accumulate in the spleen, liver, and kidneys, causing them to enlarge. In some cases, a doctor may be able to feel abdominal swelling. The child may also have a poor appetite or be unable to eat a normal amount of food. Weight loss is common.

• Symptom 3: Trouble Breathing

Leukemic cells can clump around the thymus, a gland at the base of the neck. This can make it difficult to breathe (dyspnea). Breathing trouble can also result from swollen lymph nodes in the chest that push up against the windpipe. A child with leukemia may cough or wheeze. Painful breathing should be considered a medical emergency.

• Symptom 4: Frequent Infections

White blood cells are necessary to fight off infection, but the immature white blood cells of leukemia are unable to perform that function properly. A child with leukemia may experience frequent bouts of viral or bacterial infections. Symptoms include coughing, fever, and runny nose. These infections often show no improvement, even with the use of antibiotics or other treatment.

• Symptom 5: Swelling

Lymph nodes filter the blood, but leukemia cells sometimes collect in lymph nodes. This can cause swelling under your child’s arms, in the neck, above the collarbone, or in the groin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans may reveal swollen lymph nodes of the abdomen or inside the chest.

An enlarged thymus can press on a vein that transports blood from the arms and head to the heart. This pressure can cause blood to pool and lead to swelling of the face and arms. The head, arms, and upper chest may take on a bluish-red color. Other symptoms include headache and dizziness.

• Symptom 6: Bone and Joint Pain

Blood is produced within bone marrow. Leukemia causes blood cells to reproduce at an accelerated rate, leading to severe overcrowding of blood cells. This build-up of cells can lead to aches and pains of the bones and joints. Some children with leukemia may complain of lower pack pain. Others may develop a limp due to pain in the legs.

• Symptom 7: Anemia

Remember, having some of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily indicate leukemia. There are several forms of childhood leukemia and many factors that impact the prognosis. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can improve outcome. Consult with your child’s doctor.

According to the American Cancer Society, survival rates for some forms of childhood leukemia have risen over time, and improvements in treatment point to a better outlook for children diagnosed today.

Source: healthline 2015

Leukaemia Diary: Sully’s Story– what is the life of a child with Leukaemia like?

This video helps us better understand how life with Leukaemia is like and as a child what has to be gone through.

I am pretty sure everyone of us will show sympathy for Sully and other children with Leukaemia. But just like Sully and his family, we should have hope and believe that they can eventually fight the disease. We could also support them by donations and encouragements.

Leukaemia Diary: Lauren – what is the life of a child with Leukaemia like?