Location:
Zone B, Level 1
Paediatric Medical Day Unit
Children’s Hospital
800 Commissioners Rd. East
London, ON
Directions and Parking:
Driving Directions to Children's Hospital.
Park in Visitor Parking Garage P8 located on the west side of the hospital. This lot is accessible at the Baseline Road entrance.
Contact:
Telephone: 519-685-8500 ext. 57396
Contents
- Our Program
- What We Do
- Our Team
- What to Expect
- Bravery Beads Program
- Tips on Helping Your Child
- Resources & Links
Our Program
For over 30 years, Children's Hospital has provided family-centred care to children with cancer.
The childhood cancer program is designed to meet the needs of children and their families through a holistic approach.
The childhood cancer program (also referred to as the paediatric oncology program) strives to provide high quality, family-centred care to allow children
to not only survive their illness but also to sustain normal growth and development and family unity.
What We Do
We work with other health care teams at Children’s Hospital to help with special concerns for children with cancer and their families:
Medical consultation, diagnosis and disease management
- Coordination of care across inpatient, outpatient and home settings
- Expanded nursing support
- Radiation therapy
- General surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Neuropsychological assessment
- Support of family and professional caregivers
- Art Therapy
- Child Life programs
- School reintegration
- Patient Outcome/Continuous Improvement Activities
- Satellite clinics in Kitchener and Windsor
- Aftercare clinic program in collaboration with the Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario
- Clinical trials participation in provincial and international networks
Our Team
Name |
Title / Specialty |
Dr. Lawrence Jardine | Hematologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Elizabeth Cairney | Hematologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Shayna Zelcer | Hematologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Paul Gibson | Hematologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Alexandra Zorzi | Hematologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Serina Patel | Hemotologist/Oncologist |
Dr. Cathy Maan | Psychologist |
Dr. Andrea Downie | Neuropsychologist |
Dr. Danielle Cataudella | Psychologist |
Lorraine Janzen | Psychometrist |
Ann Klinck | Psychological Associate (School Liaison) |
Anne Chambers | Nurse Practitioner |
Mary Jo Decourcy | Nurse Practitioner |
Margaret Warden | Interlink Nurse |
Deborah Dewbury Langley | Child Life Specialist |
Melissa Zurch | Child Life Specialist |
Gillian Yealland | Art Therapist |
Todd Wharton | Art Therapist |
Veronica Sweet | Art Therapist |
Karina Charczuk | Music Therapist |
Ollie Pale | Therapeutic Clown |
Cindy Milne-Wren | Social Worker |
Jessica Mackenzie | Social Worker |
Angela Dodge | Dietitian |
Sarah Leppington | Nurse Case Manager |
Julie Dowler | Nurse Case Manager |
Meghan Reid | Nurse Case Manager |
Mary Anne Wilson-Sprague | Nurse Case Manager |
Diana Masse | Nurse Case Manager |
Karen Nethercott | AfterCare Nurse Case Manager |
Lori Otte | AfterCare Successful Academic & Vocational Transition Initiative (SAVTI) Counsellor |
What to Expect
You and your child have just learned he or she may have cancer. You may be feeling different emotions like anger, fear or anxiety. As a parent, it is natural to feel concerned or worried. It’s important to keep a positive attitude. Follow the advice of your healthcare team, and talk to your child and entire family. Speaking openly with your child helps build trust. Some things you and your child may expect, include:
Diagnosing Cancer
Your child may have an X-ray and a CT scan to determine if he has cancer. He may also be scheduled for a biopsy, a surgical procedure to remove and examine tissue from a tumor. You might meet with an oncologist, a doctor who works with cancer patients. The oncologist will tell you if your child has cancer or not. It’s important to know that many kids who get cancer can be treated and cured.
Cancer Treatments
Common cancer treatments include chemotherapy, which means getting anti-cancer drugs through an IV, and radiation, which means powerful energy waves (like X-rays) are used to kill cancer cells. Surgery also might be done to remove tumors. In some cases, such as leukemia, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant might be done to help you be healthy again.
Hair Loss
Most people think about cancer when they see a child who is bald. Cancer does not cause hair to fall out, but the powerful drugs and treatments used to kill cancer cells (chemotherapy and radiation) kill the cells that make hair grow, too. A child getting chemotherapy may lose a lot of hair quickly, but the hair will grow back when the treatment is stopped.
Bravery Beads Program
Children and adolescents treated for cancer at the Children’s Hospital are invited to participate in the Bravery Beads Program.
Children receive a “starter necklace” which includes a string and beads to spell their name.
They can then collect beads to acknowledge the many experiences they face over the course of treatment. Each child can create a unique necklace of beads, with each bead representing different elements of the treatment process.
Beads are available in the Paediatric Medical Day Unit and on Paediatric Inpatients.
We hope that the Bravery Beads Program helps our children and adolescents overcome the many challenges they face during the course of treatment.
We hope the necklace also provides a positive keepsake of their journey through cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital.
Tips on Helping Your Child
Here are some tips to help your child feel safer about his upcoming visit:
- Listen to your child.
- Be honest about what will happen and what may hurt.
- Use short, simple terms they know.
- Reassure them that if something hurts, there are ways to help the pain, including medicine, relaxation, listening to music and playing games.
- Use one of their stuffed animals to show what will happen and encourage him to ask questions and talk about his fears.
- Reassure them that having to go to the hospital does not mean he has done something wrong.
Resources & Links
Sibling and Parent Bereavement Groups Offered through Paed. Psychology, LHSC
Helping Schools Cope with Childhood Cancer
Paediatric Oncology Group of Ontario POGO
Childcan Support for Families Local Support Group for Families
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Research
Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation for Teens Support for teens wiht cancer and their families
Survivorship Guidelines Long Term Follow Up Guidelines for Survivors
Look Good Feel Better Helping Teens with Cancer
Cure Search Support and Resources for Childhood Cancer Families
Gold Ribbon - Campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness
Camp Trillium Ontario Camp for kids with cancer AND their families
Camp Oochigeas Camp for children with cancer
Make A Wish for Southwestern Ontario
The Sunshine Foundation Dreams for Kids
Children's Wish Canada Wishes in Action
Ewings Cancer Foundation of Canada Ewings Sarcoma Support