Learning about Cancer

Today we had a visit from a nurse to learn about why our new friend Sophie is sick. We found out she has a kind of cancer called leukaemia. Now we understand why Sophie can’t be here with us, but we are excited about the day when she will be well enough to come to school!

Here is what we learned:
– sometimes her hair falls out and then grows back
– we don’t know why people get cancer
– Sophie has to take lots of medicine (there are 7 or 8 kinds of medicine for kids with leukaemia)
– kids get a special button put in their bodies to help them take their medicine
– kids get a special cream for their skin so the needles don’t hurt
– can get sick easily because their bodies don’t fight germs as well as people who are healthy
– everyone is always making new blood
– sometimes when you are getting your medicine there are side effects like feeling grumpy, feeling sick to your stomach, headaches, achy bodies, and feeling sad

Here is what we can do to help Sophie:
– make her cards or bracelets
– shave our hair so we don’t have any too
– support her and remind her that her hair will grow back
– get her blog ready
– give her a chair in our classroom and put Cat in the Hat in her seat to keep it warm
– continue to video conference with Sophie
– be positive!