Childhood leukemia, or blood cancer, is successfully treated in 65-90% of cases. Despite the high percentage of recovery, the diagnosis stuns and paralyzes everyone whose child is given it. «Book to help» helps to cope with fear.
The idea to collect the most necessary information in one place was born by Natalia Ledneva. In a little over a year, her son Seraphim was diagnosed with leukemia. Parents’ questions — medical, everyday and existential — are usually similar. What procedures are coming and how to prepare for them? What are the possible side effects and how to reduce the discomfort from them? How to calm yourself and the child and tune in to win together? Experienced psychologists and doctors talk about it. Among them, for example, Konstantin Kondratchik, Head of the Department of Oncology and Hematology at the Morozov Children’s Hospital, and Anastasia Rudneva, a hematologist at the Rogachev Federal Research and Clinical Center for Children’s Hematology, Oncology and Immunology.
Other parents, whose children are already healthy or are still struggling with leukemia, also took part in the creation of the Book to Help. Their stories about their own feelings and practical findings are as valuable as the recommendations of specialists. Thanks to the notes of «eyewitnesses» and colorful illustrations, the «Book to Help» turned out to be not only structured and informative, but beautiful and very humane.
. A printed copy can be obtained by leaving a request on the website www.onkobook.ru or by asking your doctor.
Excerpts from «Books to Help»
- “If possible, take someone who is not as emotionally involved in the situation to the introductory conversation with the doctor. This person will remember more than you, and then help you better understand the answers. It is also useful to record the conversation on a voice recorder or telephone.
- “I did everything important in life without hair. Well, first of all, I was born. (Babies are known to be a bit bald.) I wrote my best songs bald, became a fairly famous actor and singer, married a very beautiful girl with whom we love each other very much and gave birth to a bunch of children. Now I am no longer young, I am 45 years old, but I still proudly wear my bald head. But when her hair was still growing on her, I also wanted all this: success, prosperity, a beautiful wife. And he got what he wanted, only with a bald head. Maybe the hair was in the way? (From a letter from Alexei Kortnev)
- “Now on many products they write words that are not always clear. Distinguish between probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are bacteria. Probiotic foods should not be given to children. Prebiotics are dietary fiber. They stimulate beneficial intestinal microflora. Foods with prebiotics can be given to a child. A mnemonic rule will help to remember what is possible and what is impossible, for example: “Prebiotics are great, probiotics are disgusting, rotten” or “Prebiotics — take it, probiotics — drop it.”
- “Hands, both in the hospital and at home, should be washed only with liquid soap (not lumpy) and wiped with a disposable paper towel. Bacteria multiply on bar soap and regular cloth towels. Both clothes and underwear should be washed in the boiling mode and ironed no more than two days ago.
- “Children with leukemia and other oncological diseases during treatment are prohibited from taking vitamins, as well as systemic antiviral immunomodulating drugs, that is, those that act on the entire body (“Viferon”, “Anaferon”). Those antiviral drugs that act locally, such as eye drops, are allowed.”
- “Pets are part of your family, in most cases you won’t have to look for a new home for them. However, if possible, relocate fish, birds and rodents during treatment, as aquariums and cages can become sources of fungal infection.
- “One should be careful about the stories of hospital neighbors and, moreover, information on the Internet … In cases where the pessimism of others overwhelmed us, I always said to myself and my daughter: “There are sick children and their sad mothers around us, we cannot now talk with those who have recovered and have almost forgotten about the disease. But there are a lot of such children!” I read stories on the Gift of Life website about those who have recovered and are living full lives. It helped us.»