Cool sites
CMAJ 1999;160:14
© 1999 Canadian Medical Association
When their 2-year-old daughter Morgan was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, Mike and Colleen O'Brien found it hard to cope, just as most parents of a child with cancer do. They could find no single source of practical information to address the myriad new problems they faced, so they created one. The Never-Ending Squirrel Tale www.squirreltales.com/index.html gathers practical tips and encouraging stories to help parents and their families confront this devastating diagnosis. The title comes from their daughter's favourite stuffed toy — a constant companion throughout her seemingly endless ordeals. A glossary lays out the new vocabulary parents will have to learn, explaining in simple terms concepts such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, adjuvant therapy and neutropenia. Tidbits of pragmatic advice deal with subjects such as anorexia, vomiting, alopecia, fevers, xerostomia and how to share attention with jealous siblings. Numerous links are provided to other online resources, including sites dealing with pediatric oncology, bone marrow transplant and bereavement. Finally, there is a collection of encouraging stories submitted by other parents of children with cancer. This site is an excellent example of a way for parents to channel their grief and energy into a positive enterprise. Any physician who deals with pediatric oncology patients can recommend it to their patients' families without hesitation. — Dr. Robert Patterson, robpatterson@email.msn.com
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