HOLISTIC CARE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
effects has improved Maisie’s overall well- being throughout their challenging treatment journey. Programs designed to help their older daughter, Margot, understand and cope with her sister’s diagnosis have also made a profound impact. Celebration of Champions makes these vital supports possible. THE RADY CHILDREN’S TEAM HAS BEEN PIVOTAL TO FINDING ACCEPTANCE AND HOPE ALONG THE WAY.” Maisie’s healing has progressed, and she will soon transition to less intensive treatment. Jennie says the Rady Children’s team has been pivotal to finding acceptance and hope along the way. “They helped us understand that there’s light through the good
Maisie was 2 years old when she stopped gaining weight and began falling often. Then her leg started hurting and she could no longer walk. When the Rady Children’s team informed Maisie’s parents that she had leukemia, they were blindsided. Doctors, nurses, social workers and therapists compassionately responded to Maisie’s parents’ overwhelmed emotions while ensuring they understood her diagnosis and recommended care plan.
AMELIA’S HOME AWAY FROM HOME
between specialists to wraparound services supporting the family’s well-being made possible by Celebration of Champions. Healing touch therapy made a particular difference for Amelia. As longtime patients of alternative medicine, her parents were thrilled that Amelia could receive a healing touch session integrating massage, reflexology and energy work nearly every day she was at Rady Children’s. “I believe in the power of all that, so it was great to have, and very comforting for Amelia as well,” Juliana says. After two months of treatment at the Peckham Center, Amelia’s scans were clear of cancer, and she remained strong completing chemotherapy before
When 14-year-old Amelia was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in her home country of Colombia, her parents immediately began researching the best options for treatment. Rady Children’s Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders rose to the top. A friend recommended they connect with Paula Aristizabal, MD, MAS, a pediatric hematologist- oncologist at Rady Children’s who is also from Colombia. Confident in the hospital’s expertise, the family temporarily moved to San Diego to partner with them in Amelia’s care. “Our family had never been in a hospital much before,” her mom, Juliana, says. “But from our first visit to Rady Children’s, we loved the way everything went.” Amelia’s five months of chemotherapy treatment encompassed more than they expected— from detailed attention to their case and coordination
“I was not at my best, but the Rady
Children’s team was at theirs,” Maisie’s mom, Jennie, recalls. “They gently surrounded us, checking in on one thing and then another. All the different programs came in and felt so supportive.” The partnership of clinicians and staff has carried on throughout Maisie’s eight months of treatment to date— from chemotherapy port placement surgery to frequent hospital visits to home care— and resulted in a unique bond with the family. Maisie’s parents especially appreciate Rady Children’s holistic approach to their family’s needs. The care team’s guidance on pain management and minimizing side
returning home to family, friends and competitive
horseback riding. Her family is grateful to Rady Children’s for compassionately seeing them through to a new, cancer-free beginning.
times and the tough times,” Jennie says.
SPRING 2024 HEALTHY KIDS MAGAZINE 29
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