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| Paige, Danielle, Nadia, Courtney and Caleb Julien at Cancer Services after speaking to our Board of Directors about the importance of Kids Kare. |
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| Paige and Caleb ready to ice skate at one of our monthly Children’s Events |
Cancer never affects just one person. Like the proverbial pebble in a pond, it ripples out to family members, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Every day, Cancer Services attends to the various needs of ALL those affected by cancer, including the children whose family members are diagnosed.
When people think of kids affected by cancer, most imagine children who have the disease. Our Candlelighter Program provides support for them and their siblings. But often people forget the impact that a parent’s cancer diagnosis can have on a child. Cancer Services Director of Support Programs Esther Sachse, LCSW, explains, “The children of our parents with cancer are often the forgotten survivors, yet they are a crucial part of our mission. When Dad is too sick to toss a football or Mom is in treatment and can’t help pick that prom dress, children experience some of the losses associated with cancer. Our Kids Kare Program creates special family moments that help carry survivors through the cancer journey.”
At just 32 years old, Courtney Julien, father of three, experienced kidney failure. One minute he was going about his work day as a process operator at CF Industries and the next minute he was in the hospital, soon to be diagnosed with a rare type of lymphomathat started in his prostate and engulfed his bladder and kidneys. He, his wife Danielle and their children all began a difficult journey that uniquely affected each one of them.
Thankfully, the Juliens found that Cancer Services could help the entire family with their various physical, emotional and financial needs. In addition to being a safe place to talk, the agency helped Courtney pay for his prescriptions to ease the high costs of a diagnosis and provided products to ease the side effects of treatment. Treatments were tough and Courtney was in and out of the hospital for weeks. His children struggled to understand why their strong dad, their “Superman,” was sick. “The day I got home from the hospital, I still had tubes and was recovering,” Courtney says. “When Nadia saw me, she was so excited she ran up to jump on me like she used to and everyone screamed to stop her. Every day they’d ask if Dad could play and they didn’t understand when I couldn’t.”
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| Nadia and Paige with Santa at the Children’s Holiday Party. |
As the Juliens adjusted to this “new normal” they began grasping for things that resembled their old life, including special family time and outings, now difficult because of Courtney’s limited physical abilities and their financial situation. Cancer Services and Kids Kare helped fill that void. The monthly children’s events give the Juliens and dozens of other families the chance to spend time together “outside a world of hurt” and not worry about sickness, shots or chemo. “They’re great times for us,” Danielle explains, “Even the baby can come and enjoy.” She claims it even helped her husband heal quicker, “He was able to enjoy his kids again and we got to meet other families and know we’re not alone.” But Kids Kare is not just about fun activities, it’s about families and giving children a sense of normalcy during a scary and confusing time.
Today Courtney and his family are doing well and still attend events. Despite his progress, cancer is still present in their lives. Over a year later medical bills are mounting and Courtney is still adjusting to being back at work. Danielle smiles and says, “Praise the Lord, everything’s OK today. We’re so blessed to have Cancer Services. Please don’t ever stop doing what y’all are doing.”
For more about the Kids Kare or any other program, call Cancer Services at 225-927-2273.
