To the Editor:Re “It Takes a Lifetime to Survive Childhood Cancer,” by Pamela Paul (column, Oct. 8):As an almost 20-year survivor of childhood cancer, I found Ms. Paul’s column striking in so many ways.
Yet while my primary cancer was cured, defining success based on reaching a five-year survival mark is a poor way to capture the impact of the harsh treatments that pediatric cancer patients face.
I consider myself lucky, but I still experience late side effects from my treatments, including double vision, hearing loss and now three meningiomas (noncancerous brain tumors).
In addition to the points Ms. Paul made, diet is another important consideration in the care of survivors.
As a recent nutrition epidemiology master’s degree recipient, I know that research shows the powerful impact of good nutrition in improving quality of life and reducing some late effects among cancer survivors.
Persons:
Pamela Paul, Paul