Trust. Confidence. Accessibility. These are the words that come to mind when Scott and Gail Wilkes reflect on their experience at Akron Children’s Hospital after their daughter, Shannon, was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer called metastatic osteosarcoma. Today, they’re helping to instill those same feelings in others – by expanding treatment and […]
Pano is seeing cancer care from a new perspective
Five summers ago, Pano Tsarouhas (18) came to the Shower’s Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders as a patient. He’s back at Akron Children’s this summer, but now he’s learning what it’s like to sit across from patients as a provider. “I wanted to shadow Dr. Hord to help me evaluate different paths […]
Jackie’s journey: From cancer patient to survivor
As an athlete, patient or coach, Jackie Custer believes in the mantra there is no ‘I’ in team. Growing up, Jackie learned how to win games with her teammates. As she faced her own battle with cancer, she relied on her Akron Children’s care team to get her to the finish line. Today, at 24, […]
Perseverance keeps Pano achieving goals after cancer treatment
Like a story out of Greek mythology, Pano Tsarouhas’s cancer journey started in Greece, but his battle with Ewing’s sarcoma was defeated in Ohio. While on vacation in Greece, Pano came down with a fever. After returning home, he had an appointment at Pediatrics of Akron expecting an antibiotic would help him feel better. “Dr. […]
Siblings with blood disorder can now see their providers virtually
The coronavirus pandemic has brought changes to health care, including one in particular that has made life a little bit easier and safer for the Workinger family of Wadsworth. Three Workinger children have an inherited blood disorder. For the first time this year, the kids were able to use telehealth services to see their providers […]
National Cancer Survivor Month: E.J.’s story
Miami University student E.J. Coulas has been in remission for 12 years after battling an aggressive type of leukemia. The disease struck before he was old enough to understand it. He was in treatment for more than 3 years, yet he says his memories are mostly positive. “When I was a kid, I didn’t think […]