Coincidence? Nah!

Upon returning to school in January, Lauren was overheard talking by a young man named Bryce whose locker was just a few down from Lauren's. He asked Lauren about her surgery and testing then discovered they were being treated for the same disease. The kids exchanged phone numbers so their mom's could talk. My heart sank when Debbie called me and confirmed that Bryce had the same cancer as Lauren. Within weeks we learned of yet another case of thyroid cancer in our schools. We were finally able to connect with Missy to confirm what we had heard. It was true, 17 year-old Amber had thyroid cancer too. In our small community of 11,000 there were now three confirmed cases of thyroid carcinoma in our teens. All three kids have attended the same school and live within a mile of each other.

Everyone says things happen for a reason. Although I'm not quite sure why these kids were chosen to get this disease, I do know that through all the tears and questions, I have gained two wonderful friends who have helped me through the hardest time of my life. I believe support is so important when dealing with a crisis such as cancer, especially with our children.

Radioactive

Today my baby underwent I-131 radiolabeled iodine ablation after receiving two injections of Thyrogen and numerous scans. I watched as Lauren had to drink the radiation through a straw from a large metal container. The staff took many precautions from exposure, yet there stood my baby full of radioactive material. As mothers, we try to protect our children from the things that harm them, but strangely enough the very thing that caused her cancer may also help cure her.

For the next week or so Lauren was in isolation at home. This is how she spent her Christmas holidays. Alone. We followed the protocol as much as possible, although very difficult, especially for a child. Her clothes and linens were washed separately, no one could use the bathroom after her, she used plastic utensils and had to limit contact with the rest of the family and pets.


Every since the initial diagnosis I was told how thyroid cancer was rare in children and how it was the "best" cancer to have since the survival rates are nearly 100 percent. I had read that there are only about 300 new cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed in the U.S. yearly in teenage children. I had also read that the type of cancer Lauren had was caused by exposure to large amounts of radiation. But where?