Today is September 14th – the 14th day of Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Today I want to honor Tanner Page. We met Tanner when Lily was going through the “delayed intensification” (DI) phase of treatment in early June 2009. Lily was hospitalized for a fever, and Larisa learned that another child from Franklin – 5-year-old Tanner Page – had just been diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) and was in the room just two doors down from Lily. Larisa and Lily met Tanner and her mom, Beth, and became friends. As both girls’ treatments progressed, they would get together, and the moms would compare notes while the girls played together. Beth kept family and friends informed through a blog. She wrote many honest and touching posts about their childhood cancer experience. One post was particularly insightful about how childhood cancer affects the entire family. She wrote: “The truth is, we all have cancer. Me, John, Jake, and of course most of all, Tanner. But, as it eats at Tanner’s body, it eats at each of us in different ways. A two-year-old that worries about his sister and knows that she can’t play like she used to. A mother and father who now know that anything can happen to your kids… nothing is out of the realm of possibility. A family that used to go, go, go and now is having to learn to find joy in quiet moments at home.” Tanner went through the treatment for leukemia with only a few physical speed bumps along the way. However, at times it was very difficult emotionally – both during treatment and afterwards. Some of the chemos cause pain – bad pain. Steroids are an important part of treatment, but they cause both insatiable hunger and volatile emotions. Both Tanner and Lily had to deal with a lot of anger in handling the realities of their diagnosis and treatment. All the endless medical procedures, having to take chemo that made them hurt and feel bad, not being able to go to school or other activities with their friends. The loss and lack of control could be overwhelming. Add to that the emotional whirlpool caused by steroids, and meltdowns become common. At one point, Tanner asked her mother if she could use the “H-word.” Beth told her to let ‘er rip. “I HATE STEROIDS!” she screamed. Many, if not most, children who go through cancer treatment need the help of experienced therapists and anti-anxiety medications to help them get through it. One limitation during treatment is that when their blood counts are low, children are unable to eat fresh vegetables and fruits because bacteria can hide in them – bacteria that is harmless to everyone else, but can spell serious trouble for immune-compromised cancer patients. When Tanner finished the first few phases of treatment and her counts were finally high enough to eat fresh produce again, she started yelling out all the things she wanted to eat now: “Salad? Grapes? Strawberries! I want strawberries!” After not being able to go to school for the first seven months of treatment, Tanner finally was able to visit her school in the winter of 2010. The entire school had been supporting Tanner with letters and cards, and children were donating their money to “Pennies for Patients” (a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser) – all in honor of Tanner. As Tanner and her mom and brother, Jake, walked into the school they saw a poster of Tanner and five large water jugs full of change – one for each grade. All the kids knew who Tanner was, although most had never met her. Tanner, her mother and brother continued down the hall, they could see kids react as they realized who Tanner was. They waved and said, “Hi, Tanner!” A kindergartener whispered to her, “I gave you a dollar!” A sweet fourth grade girl said, “I’m sorry you got leukemia. I hope you feel better soon.” Two other children told Tanner how they were growing out their hair to donate to Locks of Love. As they went into the room where the school’s book fair was being held, a class of third graders was in front of them. As Tanner watched, one little girl turned around and recognized Tanner. Beth said it was like a game of “telephone” after that, each kid turning to the next and whispering, “That’s Tanner Page! Do you see her?” They waved, smiled and were very sweet. After several minutes, Tanner motioned for Beth to bend over so she could whisper in her ear. “I think I might be famous,” she said with a look of disbelief. That’s just one example of how much the support of her school and classmates made such a positive difference for Tanner. During treatment and afterwards, Tanner found a meaningful outlet for her energy and emotions through theater. She tried out and got parts in local productions of shows such as Sleeping Beauty, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Once Upon a Mattress, Annie, Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland. It’s quite incredible to watch the videos and see her growth as a performer over the few years of being in shows. Tanner was the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Girl of the Year in 2011. Becoming Girl of the Year involved not only fundraising but also advocating for the LLS, and Tanner did a marvelous job of that. The annual Light the Night walk is something she and her family participate in each year. Today Tanner is 11 years old and in sixth grade. Three years have passed since she ended treatment, and she is doing well. She loves riding horses, performing in plays and musicals, and singing. Tanner, you’ve come a long way. You’ve fought a bigger battle than most people ever will, and you emerged victorious. We are proud of you and love you.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 11:34:05 +0000