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Two days before the Sept 11th tragedy Catie Carter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. "When most of the country was watching the Twin Towers fall, I was busy carrying Catie to the bathroom so she could throw up," Mrs. Carter notes.
Since Catie’s diagnosis there has been a non-stop round of treatment. Such as chemotherapy. Did you know that a round of chemo is not one dose but a series, lasting from a few days to a few weeks?
Catie has had back-to-back bone marrow transplants, also called stem cell transplants. With a transplant, the patient is given an extremely toxic dose of chemo in hopes that the bone marrow will fail. After it has been killed, stem cells from their own blood replenish the lost bone marrow...if all goes well.
Without bone marrow where blood cells are produced, there isn’t much leeway. And, without bone marrow, there is no immune system. Little Catie lived in a
sterile bubble for many weeks, literally at death’s door. Despite everything, Catie is a fighter and she made it through.
Bone marrow biopsies are another part of the regimen and Catie had at least 30 to 40 of these most uncomfortable procedures. And the worst of the worst. 3F8 monoclonal antibody treatment. The pain is almost unbearable but Catie always started her treatment smiling and happy. Can you believe it, after all she’s been through?
Catie has racked up a long list of medical records, including being the first ever recipient of an experimental radiographic surgery procedure at Sloan-Kettering
(NY) which she went through with flying colors. She continually astounds the doctors with her fortitude. And, get this: Catie has managed straight A's and B's since her mom insists she keep up with her school work even though she often isn’t there.
Suffering? Sure. But Catie’s mom has this to say about it: "I don't believe God gives us suffering. We are very complicated creatures and every now and again a piece of our machinery breaks. What God does is works through gifted doctors, researchers and countless others performing everyday miracles who are inspired to give selflessly to the care of people like our Catie. Like all of the Wolfson team." And Mrs. Carter is adamant about this: "God did not let this happen!"
Godly Play
Godly Play’s mission at Wolfson is to nourish the spiritual and moral development of children. Working with sick and injured children and their families in a hospital setting, Godly Play is designed to help children and their families cope with the traumatic consequences of having their lives interrupted by illness or injury. Recognizing these events can also create opportunities for personal growth and deepening of faith. Godly Play opens the door for spiritual formation and an exploration of values.
The impact on sick and injured children and their families has been significant. Many of our children and their parents are facing life-threatening challenges that few of our staff have personally experienced. It is in this setting that Godly Play can especially help the child and the parents grapple with the crisis they are facing.
The greatest success, however, is the impact Godly Play has made on the lives of children. The typical child hospitalized today is more acutely ill than even a few years ago. These patients and their families need to know the love of God. The caring presence of our pastoral care staff helps to give families a safe place to process fears and anxieties related to their child’s illness. The children themselves need their own safe place and way to express both fears and faith. This validates and confirms the child’s self-worth and confidence…two qualities that they will need as they face challenges ahead. The Godly Play program provides them this opportunity.
Children who are anxious or depressed are much less so after hearing and participating in a Godly Play story. The Godly Play program gives children and their families the opportunity to process what is happening and to begin a dialogue about how they will face challenges together. For many children and their families, Godly Play has been a venue that helps them face the unthinkable. For others it has created an opportunity to explore their values in an open-minded atmosphere. In a world dominated by materialism and instant gratification, the Godly Play experience of “wondering” and values exploration addresses important life issues….something that is often neglected in the fast - paced, over programmed childhood of today. |
