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, […]
Narrative medicine lets Cerriana share her story
After a year of managing a brain cancer diagnosis, dozens of surgeries and relentless medical treatments, Cerriana (14) of Alliance was hopeful the worst was behind her. When she learned her cancer was back, she didn’t know if she had the strength to do it all again, but she knew she had something to say […]
10 out of 10: Siblings are a perfect match for bone marrow transplant
A typical day for Wyatt Brown is spent ‘doing jobs’ around his house like picking up frogs, digging in dirt and learning how to fix things. But last year, just a day after his 4th birthday, Wyatt’s days were anything but typical as he started testing and treatment at the Showers Family Center for Childhood […]
How one brain tumor survivor measures success
For a pediatric brain tumor patient, one of the most celebrated measures of success is becoming a survivor. Amelia Hartong of Massillon became a survivor at just 1-year-old and now, age 5, she reminds us all that the best measure of success is happiness. “Amelia is thriving, and we celebrate it, but her success and […]
Right place at the right time: Marietta boy battles cancer during a pandemic at Akron Children’s
February 2020 brought a global pandemic and a cancer diagnosis to then 11-year-old Paul Smith. Both required isolation and patience. Both would bring tears and sacrifice. But neither could stop Paul’s resilience, a mother’s love or a care team dedicated to getting Paul back to his best. On a family ski trip, Paul’s cancer let […]
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