Walking with a Shadow

Childhood cancer, particularly leukemia, is on the rise. Leukemia strikes one child in every 25,000, and most often does so between the ages of 3 and 7. Annually, more than 2,700 children are diagnosed with leukemia in the United States. Due to advances in biotechnology and medicine, survival rates for this once-deadly disease now stand at 80%. But the psychological effects of diagnosis, removal from school, treatment, and remission or cure, linger. Here nine long-term survivors of childhood leukemia share their vivid memories and give us insight into the physiological changes, psychosocial and educational difficulties that became a constant shadow in their lives. Author Nanci Sullivan provides recommendations for ways teachers, counselors and other professionals may better help young students with leukemia cope.