gh Spartan Daily en Serving the San Jose State University Community Since 1934 ire
the APRIL 9, 1975 PHONE 277-3181 'VOLUME 64 NUMBER 33 WEDNESDAY, Children's traumatic fight with cancer softened
By Ray Manley Before coming to Stanford, they developed their methods family. wooden models, play in sand and do other arts and crafts. Parents help staff Childhood cancer. at the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Usually one parent, a brother or sister spends the day at The parents' presence also frees nurses and other staff Not only can it take a child's life, but it can be a source of Houston where Wilbur was head of the pediatrics unit. Wilbur the hospital and may even sleep on a folding portable bed discipline and do the caretaking emotional and psychological problems for the stricken child is now head of the Stanford program. beside the hospitalized child. members from having to chores for the children. and his relatives. "Our goal," Dutcher said in a recent interview, "is the "In our unit a family can continue to function as a family," "The number of nurses isn't reduced," Dutcher said. "The Even children successfully treated may be left with eradication of the Wilbur said. disease." treat the kids." psychological scars from battling the disease medically, Treating the child normally and parents just join together with the staff to The program is called the Children's Oncology ( the science keeping the family financially and emotionally. together makes it easier for them to continue normal lives if Nurses, he said, could never replace a child's parent. of tumors) Unit. The unit has a 30-to-35 in-patient capacity But a program at Stanford Children's Hospital is trying treatment is successful, according to Wilbur. "No nurse will sit all afternoon and poke a soft-boiled egg and treats about 250 children as out-patients. to successfully treat childhood cancer without the hard The family around the cancer stricken child acts as a down a kid's throat like a mother will," Dutcher asserted. trauma such treatment can bring. In the Stanford unit, patients and their families play a larger role in the child's therapy than is done in conventional "psychological support system," reducing anxiety, anger The first day a child is brought to the Stanford Children's New approach introduced and fear that often result from hospitalization, Dutcher said. Hospital, the doctors have a conference with the family. administrative hospitals, according to Dutcher. In 1972, Dr. Jordan Wilbur and his At the conference the family, including the ill child, is told cancer "We try to make the institution bend to meet the needs of A kitchen is also available at the hospital for families to assistant, Joy Dutcher, introduced a number of new everything known about the disease, its treatment and also traditional the patient rather than vice-versa," Dutcher said. cook meals and make snacks for their children. treatment approaches and combined them with what is still unknown. therapies at the Stanford Children's Hospital. At the Stanford hospital attempts are made to keep the After attending school, which is mandatory for those who Before coming to Stsnford, they developed their methods at family together and to not isolate the sick child from the are able, children go to occupational therapy to paint, build Continued on back page