Using what you have learned, write five diary or blog entries as if you were Mike and Charlie. Remember, the purpose of these entries is to educate patients your age about the science behind each treatment as well as what to expect when going through treatment. Put yourself in the place of these young men and use your imagination to describe their journey. Your final product should be typed and should include the five entries described below. The descriptions provided list the minimum requirements for each entry. You may want to enhance your diary or blog with pictures or additional stories.

Entry #1 (Mike)

o  Describe the goal of chemotherapy treatment and explain how this treatment should help Mike in his battle against osteosarcoma.

o  Describe what a typical treatment session entails. Include a description of at least one medical professional who assists with the treatment and mention the frequency of the treatment sessions.

o  Mention at least two specific chemotherapy drugs which are being used and describe how each medication works to attack and destroy cancer cells. Reference information you learned about cancer cells in Lesson 3.1.

Entry #2 (Mike)

o  Describe what life is like for Mike after his chemotherapy treatment.

o  Discuss any short term or long term side effects of chemotherapy and explain how these side effects relate to the treatment.

o  Mention any other medical interventions that may help him feel better as these chemicals take effect.

Entry #3 (Charlie)

o  Describe the goal of radiation therapy and explain how this treatment should help Charlie in his battle against rhabdomyosarcoma.

o  Describe what a typical treatment session entails. Include a description of at least one medical professional who assists with the treatment and mention the frequency of the treatment sessions.

Entry #4 (Charlie)

o  Describe what life is like for Charlie after radiation.

o  Discuss any short term or long term side effects of radiation and explain how these side effects relate to the treatment.

o  Mention any other medical interventions which may help Charlie ease the side effects of radiation therapy.

Entry #5

o  Add an entry on a topic of your choosing to enhance the entire diary or blog.

Activity 3.3.1 Diary of a Cancer Patient

Introduction:

The oncologists have informed Mike Smith that they will try to shrink the tumor in his proximal humerus with chemotherapy. The osteosarcoma has not metastasized, or spread to other areas of his body, and doctors want to be aggressive about keeping the cancer localized. The overall goal of all cancer treatments is to rid the body of cancerous tissue either by destroying or removing tumor cells. If doctors can shrink Mike’s tumor using chemotherapy, they will be more successful in surgery to remove the mass and save Mike’s arm.

While he is an inpatient in the hospital, Mike shares a room with a 14-year-old young man named Charlie. Charlie has been diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue that has manifested as a tumor around his left eye. Doctors have been able to reduce the size of the tumor with chemotherapy; however, they want to add in radiation therapy to try to fully destroy the mass. Mike and Charlie spend hours together in the hospital and discuss their cancers. On occasion, they even accompany one another to treatment sessions just to keep each other company.

Mike and Charlie have decided to write down in a diary or blog their experiences during treatment. They want young men and women their age to know what cancer treatment is really like. They hope that someone can learn from their experiences or at least be comforted by the fact that they are not alone in the battle against cancer.