BUFFALO, N.Y. — As we celebrate the Tree of Hope, 2 On Your Side is looking back at how pediatric cancer care has changed over the past 30-or-so years.
We met up with a cancer survivor and one of the doctors who is supporting her.
"My doctors were going between Women and Children's Hospital and Roswell Park while my treatment was done inpatient at Women and Children's Hospital," cancer survivor Brianna Blank said.
Brianna Blank was just three-and-a-half when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She received physically draining treatments for almost two years.
"It takes a lot out of you. When you see all these other children, you know, running around or playing with snowmen or going outside, and you're kind of stuck in not necessarily a tight bubble, but a little bit more of a little ring where you have to really watch yourself," Blank said.
"A lot of our kids were inpatient for a lot of their treatment and that's not the case anymore. A lot of it's done outpatient," added Dr. Denise Rokitka, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Pediatric Oncologist.
Dr. Rokitka is a Pediatric Oncologist at Roswell Park and also runs the Pediatric, Adolescent Cancer Survivorship Program. She says there have been many advancements in pediatric cancer care over the past thirty years.
"Molecular characterization and understanding biology of tumors has really advanced the research along with the treatments. We know that with immunotherapy and targeted agents, we tend to see less side effects, greater cure, improved survival rates," Dr. Rokitka said.
Anti-nausea meds have also helped kids live more normal lives. There's also a lot more supportive care now compared to when Blank was diagnosed.
"Having the support of a team of doctors behind you that have been following, you know, my case for so long, and really invested in it not just obviously for the research, but also for my longevity," Blank said.
Blank's connection with Roswell Park happens to run deeper than her own care. Her late father was diagnosed with cancer about a decade ago, and during our interview, Kelly Dinderski surprised Blank with a visit.
She was Dave Blank's nurse.
Both Dave Blank and Dinderski were volunteer firefighters and started a campaign for fire departments around the world to send t-shirts to him to show support.
They ended up with thousands.
"It was just absolutely insane, so I have just, I've bonded with their family since that day. So it's really special to me and, of course, I mean, your story is amazing, too, and your mom's amazing, so I'm so glad I could come see you," Dinderski said.
With continued support from Roswell, Blank is thriving. She says her health is great, and works for Canisius University while owning a photo and video company.
She has this message for families at the Tree of Hope.
"Take forward that message of just really trying to keep, you know, every single day the best that it can be, and not taking anything small for granted, so it really is, I don't know, like a moment for kids to kind of forget about what they might be going through, while simultaneously their parents are kind of getting a big warm hug from the community," Blank said.