Grateful and Joyful Everyday

Many people believe that once cancer treatment is completed, a patient can resume normal life and put cancer behind them.  However, even after the cancer is gone, a patient may still have months of chemotherapy ahead to further eliminate cancerous cells.  Once chemotherapy is complete, a patient will have regular check-ups for years. These check ups are not like typical well-child check-ups and include several scans or invasive tests depending on the type of cancer.  Parents and children alike anxiously await and even dread these visits. Every NED (No Evidence of Disease) report is a cause to celebrate, albeit temporary because the process must be repeated the process in a few months. Dealing with these emotions regularly after the trauma of battling cancer requires parents to continue to maintain tremendous emotional strength and spirit.

Inspiring examples of maintaining strength, spirit, and faith through a child’s journey with cancer are Rosemary and Jarot Gustin, parents of Ezra.  Ezra was diagnosed with cancer in July of 2016. He had a Wilms stage 2 tumor in his kidney warranting the removal of the kidney and six months of chemotherapy.  Since completing his chemotherapy about 2 years ago, Ezra and his family have experienced this cycle of check-up anxiety and relief several times. They can attest that the process never gets easier.  

Despite the need to monitor cancer for years following treatment, Ezra’s family finds joy in everyday life. They also find ways to make some days extra special and celebrate Ezra’s continuing health.  For Ezra’s birthday this year, Sugar Angel Robin Pennington of Fondant Dreams made a Spiderman-themed cake. The cake, featuring the legendary superhero ascending above the New York skyline and his characteristic web, was well-received by Ezra and the perfect addition to the celebration.
As she continues to update family and friends on Ezra’s health, Rosemary eloquently portrays the journey of parenting through childhood cancer and the years following at Ezra’s CaringBridge page.  Her perspective on the experience is admirable.  In one post she wrote,  “Cancer takes a lot of things from a lot of families, but it has given us the chance to really see all that we have to be grateful for. I know we are the lucky ones. Many families are not so lucky.”  

This post was written with smiles and love by Icing Smiles blogger Molly Sargen.