Leilani's Story
Hasbro Children’s Post-Cancer Support Makes all the Difference for Teen
Leilani’s primary treatment for cancer was successfully completed before she moved to Rhode Island and became a patient at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in 2012. But the care she has received at the hospital over the past decade has still made a big impact on her life, she says.
As a young child, Leilani was treated twice for Wilms tumor, a type of kidney cancer, in Florida, where she and her mom, Charlean, were living at the time.
For the past decade, Leilani, who is now 17, has received follow-up care through her primary care doctor at Hasbro Children’s. Even with her cancer in remission, she frequently deals with complications, including memory loss, bone pain, dehydration, anxiety, adrenal fatigue, and a compromised immune system.
“Unfortunately, we have had to make many trips to the emergency room over the years, and Hasbro Children’s is the only hospital we go to because everyone makes Leilani feel so comfortable,” Charlean says. “She counts on the incredible staff to let her know that she’s going to be okay.”
Some of the hospital’s donor-supported programs, including the Adolescent Leadership Council (TALC), a peer-to-peer group for adolescents with chronic illnesses, have made a big difference in her life.
While Leilani has delt with bullying at school, her friends at TALC are warm and supportive and know what it’s like to live with a chronic medical condition.
Attending the TALC Prom, the group’s glamorous party at Hotel Providence, sponsored by the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, this past May has been one of the highlights of her high school experience so far.
“Thanks to TALC and everyone I’ve met at the hospital, I feel more confident and comfortable now,” says Leilani, who loves drawing, music, and engaging in other forms of creativity. “I know I’m not alone.”