Recently, they expanded that effort by launching the Life After Cancer Program with the help of cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and his foundation. We have to get any issues they may have out on the table and discuss them. Under the program, pediatric doctors in all specialties are available for consultation, along with nurses, a psychologist, and a social worker. The program will do baseline neuropsychological testing when children are diagnosed so doctors can monitor them for any learning problems during treatment, follow-up, and recovery. She says dealing with cancer, treatment, and recovery often is more difficult for teenagers than for the younger children.
Adolescence is a very difficult time for anyone.
But for kids with cancer, it's even more difficult because they are facing isolation and restrictions. McKee says that he was old enough to understand the consequences of Hodgkin's and the transplant, and he trusted the doctors. It made me realize they knew what they were doing. But some older youngsters have more emotional problems because they are aware of what's happening to them, Murray and Bashore say. The authors of the Journal of Clinical Oncology paper echo this.