Kaden: Sharing the Childhood Leukemia Journey

Our pediatric experts can tell families a lot about childhood leukemia and the treatments to come. One thing they can't tell them: how they will feel throughout their journey with leukemia.

That's why we've connected Kaden’s family, who has been through childhood leukemia, with Taisley’s family, who recently received a leukemia diagnosis — to answer questions, shed light and offer hope. These conversations heal. Watch them in the videos below.

Meet Kaden: our patient who has experienced leukemia treatment

Kaden was diagnosed with leukemia when he was six years old. Now that he’s in remission, his family shares how cancer impacted every member of their family and what they learned during treatment.

Meet Taisley: our patient who was recently diagnosed with leukemia

Taisley was diagnosed with leukemia when she was on a family vacation last year. Now she and her family are navigating 24 months of cancer treatment. They’re hoping to find hope and understanding along the way.

Hearing your child has cancer can feel like “you’ve been hit by a truck,” says Taisley’s dad, Thane. Our families share how they trusted their instincts when they felt something was off with their child’s health, and how they coped when they learned it was cancer.

Here are a few things that helped Kaden and his family:

1. Use distractions to help make getting ports and pokes for blood draws easier.
2. Have lots of visitors come to the hospital, especially siblings and friends.
3. Get up and out of the hospital room as much as possible.
4. When you can’t leave the hospital room, tune in to Seacrest Studios on your TV.
5. Bring blankets and personal things from home to help hospital stays feel more normal.
6. Make friends and have fun with the nurses, doctors and people at Seacrest Studios.

You can also read his mom Julie’s advice for parents of a cancer warrior.