IU Health North survivorship clinic plays major role in care after kids beat cancer
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — June is Cancer Survivors Month and it’s a time to celebrate patients who have beaten cancer.
But sometimes, that’s not the end of the journey. That’s especially true for children who have their whole lives ahead of them. IU Health has a children’s clinic designed to help those kids get to adulthood while navigating that journey.
When Emily Falkenstein was just 2 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma.
“She told me she had an owwy and I thought it was maybe a urinary tract infection because of the location it was,” Amy Falkenstein, Emily’s mother, told News 8. “I don’t know what it was; I think it was the Holy Spirit that told me to call the doctor.”
At just 2 years old, Emily Falkenstein faced 43 weeks of chemotherapy and 20 radiation treatments at Riley Hospital for Children.
“It really breaks your heart that your child has to walk this path. I’m grateful she was two,” Falkenstein said. “She doesn’t remember the ugly. We do. We’ll never forget them.”
The Falkensteins have since moved to Michigan, but continue to travel to IU Health North for a survivorship clinic. Dr. Kari Bjornardo is the director of the cancer survivorship program at IU Health North.
“We talk about what they should be worried about for their long-term health that may be a result of their cancer or the cancer treatment they received, says Bjornardo. Childhood cancer survivors are often at greater risk of long-term effects, whether emotionally or physically.
“Oftentimes, these patients need lifelong surveillance to make sure we’re watching for early evidence of this so we can intervene early to give patients the best quality of life, and the longest life that we fought so hard for.”
Amy Falkenstein says it’s nice to have constant support.
“All I have to do is pick up the phone and make one phone call and they help me. We talked today about some stuff about her future and they said, ‘We’re going to make phone calls and we are going to find out who is the best person for her to see, whether it’s here or it’s up in Michigan and she can see someone that’s a little closer to home’. They’re gonna help us find who we need.”
Emily Falkenstein is now almost 11 years old and doing well. She says coming all the way back to IU Health North makes her feel at home and gives her comfort knowing she’s going to be okay.
“It kind of makes me feel better about certain things,” Emily Falkner said. “I don’t know how to explain it, it’s kind of hard to explain. It just makes me feel good inside.”