Supporting our Patients

A patient experience that is ‘rare’ elsewhere

When Q’Mariyon “Nasean” Ward was diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma at the age of 6, his mother, Chelsey, knew exactly where to take him: MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital.

“I’m a pediatric oncology nurse,” she says. “Even for me, it was a lot to take in. We had never treated this type of cancer at the hospital where I worked.”

Renal medullary carcinoma is an exceptionally rare and aggressive cancer. Nasean is the youngest patient to ever be treated for the disease at MD Anderson. In 2020, his family left their home in North Carolina and moved to Houston. After extensive surgery and chemotherapy, Nasean has since been in remission, defying the survival odds associated with this type of cancer. He is currently under the expert care of Najat Daw, M.D., professor of Pediatrics, and thriving.

Both for pediatric and adult cases, MD Anderson has a reputation for successfully treating forms of cancer rarely seen at other health care institutions. MD Anderson’s investment in rare cancer research, advanced greatly by the generosity of donors, helps offer clinical answers that might not be available elsewhere.

“Our family came to MD Anderson so that Nasean could get the care he needs and deserves,” Chelsey shares. “What we found was so much more — a community of people who are interested in who he is as a person. Nasean is energetic and loving. He wants to make sure everyone is happy and taken care of around him, even as they are busy caring for him.”

In addition to receiving care at MD Anderson, Nasean also participated in many support programs and special events, like Camp Star Trails, Camp H-Town, Arts in Medicine, the Back-to-School Fashion Show and the Houston Dynamo Dream Team for Major League Soccer’s Kick Childhood Cancer Awareness Night. These special opportunities are possible thanks to donors and community partners who are committed to letting kids be kids, even as they face a cancer diagnosis.

“Our family decided to stay in Houston so that Nasean can remain close to the people who can care for him best. This is our home now, and it’s because of what MD Anderson offers.”

Please support pediatric research, patient programming and education efforts at MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. Donate here. 

Carolers spread cheer

Melissa Melo (second from the left), the Faris Foundation Music Therapist within MD Anderson’s Arts in Medicine Program, leads staff on a holiday caroling tour. Arts in Medicine is just one example of the many donor-supported programs that brings joy to pediatric patients and their families.

Summer camps made a big return to in-person adventures  

Have you ever experienced a vacation so good that months later the memory still makes you smile? Dozens of MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital patients and their siblings — ages 18 and younger — would say “yes” after attending one of three week-long summer camps that represented a return to in-person fun since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

Camp Star Trails, open to young patients and their siblings, was held in June at Camp For All in Burton, Texas — providing the traditional summer camp experience in a safe environment. The Art Barn hosted by the Children’s Art Project and Arts in Medicine was just one of the special activities provided at camp. Camp H-Town was held in July at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston. Organizers rolled out the red carpet, turned a hotel floor into a campground, and treated kids to excursions throughout Greater Houston. Camp Star Trails and Camp H-Town support patients and their siblings ages 6-14. Camp AOK was offered in August for older teens, ages 15-18, at Deerfoot Youth Camp in Magnolia. Overall, the number of campers, staff members and volunteers were reduced as a part of COVID-19 safety protocols, but the fun was plentiful. Activities included swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, sports, fireside chats, karaoke challenges, photography lessons, nature walks, fishing and more.

Camps and Special Events also launched its Parent Connect Social initiative to provide an atmosphere for parents to engage in a care-free environment and build a sense of community. Longtime MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital collaborator, Sunshine Kids Foundation, sponsored the first event in June 2022 at Pinstripes in Houston. Children and teens enjoyed fun activities at a separate location to provide parents with some downtime. The new program provides engagement opportunities for nonprofit organizations to help meet the needs of parents and caregivers in a meaningful way. Organizations that are interested in sponsoring the quarterly socials should reach out to Tomika Gamble, program manager in Pediatrics, at camps@mdanderson.org.

Surviving and thriving: AYA Oncology Program sets up patients for success

Elizabeth Lugo found out she had cancer on her first day of college classes. “My mom called to tell me,” she recalls.

The diagnosis was myoepithelial carcinoma, a rare cancer that usually occurs in the mouth’s salivary glands. Elizabeth had some tests performed before she moved from Seattle to Washington D.C. for college, and the family’s worst fears were confirmed. For Elizabeth, deciding where to seek treatment came down to finding a cancer center that offered specialized care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs). MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital was that place.

AYA cancer patients face many disparities in their care and outcomes. Michael Roth, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics, and Andrew Livingston, M.D., associate professor of Sarcoma Medical Oncology, co-direct MD Anderson’s AYA Program, which serves patients ages 15-39 and aims to meet the unique needs of this demographic. Services include psychosocial counseling, vocational counseling, fertility preservation, genetic testing and survivorship monitoring — just to name a few.

“Between the time I was diagnosed until today, I think my life expectancy changed six times,” Elizabeth says. “But what kept me steady were the friends I made in my AYA support groups. They are some of my best friends, and I’ve even gotten close with AYA patients at other hospitals. We really share something special having gone through similar experiences.”

Elizabeth has persevered through lung metastases, multiple surgeries and rigorous treatment. Yet her dream to pursue higher education continues despite this adversity. She now attends the University of Houston with financial help from the AYA Scholarship Program, which provides funding to support the educational goals of MD Anderson patients and survivors. These scholarships, made possible by donors, help offset tuition and costs from an accredited trade school, undergraduate or graduate educational program. Elizabeth is considering communications or hospitality as a college major and recently applied to the Disney College Program.

“I’m glad I made the decision to come to MD Anderson — and especially to become part of the AYA Program, which means so much to me. The people I’ve met are amazing. For other patients who now have become my close friends, I’m excited about what’s next for us all.”