Section B
S group aids parents of cancer patients
By By Carolyn Veiga
Reporter
lore than 7,000 American chil-
aren will develop cancer this year.
For every child that suffers the pain
■ treatment and effects of the dis-
Ke, a parent suffers too.
■Donna Penson of College Station
ha organized a parent support
■)up with the help of a social
worker from St. Joseph Hospital.
He support group provides a rap
session format for parents to discuss
their child’s illness.
■Penson’s 15-year-old son, Johnny,
■s diagnosed as having a brain tu
mor two years ago.
“At the beginning, 1 had a rough
time,” she says. “One day, Johnny
was quarterback for his eighth grade
football team, and the next day, he
had cancer.
“It’s been hard. Sometimes
Johnny says, ‘Mommy, am I going to
die?’ But I’ve got to tell him that
we’re (his family) fighting for his life
as much as he is. And we’re going to
do everything possible to keep him
going.”
Penson first became aware of a
parent support group in Galveston,
where Johnny was being treated in a
hospital. She realized the impor
tance of starting a program here.
“I’m interested in helping parents
Photo by Anthony Casper
Gayla and Jave Cronauer.
build an awareness up and make
them realize that other people are
inflicted with the same problem,”
Penson says. “I want parents to real
ize that they’re not alone. There are
other people out there who have
kids with cancer, and they know
what each other’s going through.
“I find that Johnny’s doctors are
very supportive of this organization,
and Johnny’s physician feels that
talking to others about the illness is
an ideal release mechanism for par
ents.”
Johnny’s physician, Dr. George
Mcllhaney, is a family practicioner
in College Station. He says the group
benefits the parents, who often have
a tendency to isolate themselves
from the rest of society.
“The family members (of children
with cancer) feel that they’re the
only ones with a problem,” Mcllha
ney says. “I think when you get to
talk with other people, you don’t
only get support from them, but you
also help them in a situation or crisis.
“That’s always beneficial for the
way we feel about ourselves. It gives
us all a sense of accomplishment and
well-being.”
Mcllhaney says the most difficult
thing a parent must deal with is ac
cepting the fact that their child has a
fatal disease.
“I hate to see a child in pain,” he
says. “I know doctors are supposed
to be tough, but it bothers me.”
Mcllhaney says parents are the
most important priority to consider
when he detects cancer in children.
Depending on the age of the child,
Mcllhaney says, the parents should
be told first.
Gayla Gronauer’s son Jave, 5, was
diagnosed as having leukemia by
Mcllhaney six months ago.
“When I first found out Jave
(Gronauer’s son) had cancer, I
thought to myself, ‘How long does
my child have to live?’ ” Cronauer
says. “But Dr. Mcllhaney has been so
supportive and positive. He tells you
what a long way leukemia has come
nowadays, and there is a good
chance for a cure.”
The society reports that leukemia
is the most common form of cancer
in children.
87 AGGIELAND
Staff applications avail
able in Room 230 of
Reed McDonald.
General Meeting for
applicants
Monday, April 14
at 7 p.m. in Room Oil
Reed McDonald.
Applications due April 15
“I’m just hoping Jave stays in re
mission,” Cronauer says.
Mcllhaney says he highly recom
mends the program to his patient’s
parents but thinks they must make
the final decision to attend.
Cronauer says, “It really doesn’t
bother me to open up with others
because if there is some way I can
help someone else understand, and
somehow relate to what they’re feel
ing, then I want to do it.”
But Penson says some parents feel
uncomfortable talking abput their
child.
Mcllhaney says, “It’s the unknown
which frightens us the most. When
parents don’t share their problems
with others, they’ll never reach that
initial step of finally coming to terfns
with the situation.
“It’s good having someone there
that says, ‘I’ve been through that,
and this is what I did.’ ”
Cronauer says seeing her son go
for treatments is the most painful
experience she encounters.
“Jave hates going to the doctor,”
she says. “Though he’s too young to
really understand what cancer is, he
knows whafs going to happen to
him when he goes for treatment.
“The spinal taps are very painful
for him, and he screams uncontrol
lably. You can’t do anything to calm
him down. Even though he’s scream
ing his head off, I know the treat
ment has to be done.
“I’m split right down the middle.
Jave says to me, ‘Mommy, please
don’t let them hurt me.’
“But I know it’s going to cure him.
I just know it,” Cronauer says in a
trembling voice.
Cronauer says that meetings are
composed of parents now, but any
one who wants to contribute to the
group may attend. She says she ex
pects that once more people begin
attending the meetings, the parents
will invite guest speakers such as
doctors, psychologists and cancer re
searchers to speak.
Meetings are held every second
Thursday at 7 p.m. at Peace Lu
theran Church on 1100 FM Rd.
2818 in College Station. The next
meeting is scheduled for April 24.
Photo by Anthony Casper
Cancer victim Jave Cronauer at play.
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