Megan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ( ALL ) on September 18 , 2017 when she was 2 1 / 2 years old . She is currently in the maintenance phase of her treatment . She is being treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital . Every night Megan has to take a chemo pill and once a week has to take 5 additional chemo pills . Once a month she goes to the doctors for chemo in her port and in her spine . Her last chemo date will be January 2020 .
Megan Gifford
This year September means something different to us . Last we Megan was recently diagnosed and we didn ’ t know anything about cancer awareness month . In the past year we have meet many families who are fighting similar fights . We never knew how many kids have cancer . We hadn ’ t known any kids with cancer prior to Megan ’ s diagnosis . This year we want to spread awareness and knowledge of what these kids and families have to go through . It isn ’ t a short journey of just taking some chemo and going bald . There are lots of side effects to the chemo , hospital stays , not being able to go out of the house and have play with other kids . Normally if your child gets a fever you give them some Advil and they are normally fine . With cancer kids you have to take them straight to the hospital and most times it requires a few days in the hospital . Their immune is very weak so , they catch everything easily and it takes longer to get over it . There are some recent new cancer treatments for kids but , many types of cancer don ’ t have proven cures . Only 4 % of the federal government cancer research funding goes to Pediatric cancer research . Kids need more than 4 % of the money to find new ways to treat cancer .
If you need anymore information let me know . Sorry if it ’ s too long . I was trying to keep it shorter but , didn ’ t work that way . Cut whatever you need out of it .
26 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2018