"It allows both of us, especially her, to take her all the bad things that happened to her and channel it in very positive way. The big thing ASK does for kids is that it really helps support you all the way through. You always feel like someone's there if you need it."
-Peggy Andrews

Even though more are surviving, the number of children diagnosed with cancer has increased during the past few years. The Association for the Support of Kids with cancer in Richmond has for 30 years sought to help both the children and parents with emotional and financial support as well as specific programs to keep kids doing what they normally couldn't.

Parent and board member Peggy Andrews knows first hand the heartache of learning her child had cancer. Her daughter, Tiffany, was 13 when she diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, but after surgery and more than a year or rehabilitation, her daughter survived and is now a student at Virginia Commonwealth University. Andrews said ASK was an incredible resource for both of them and both she and her daughter continue to volunteer with the organization.

Executive Director Anne Cuomo worked with chronically ill children at MCV before getting involved with ASK. Both women are hoping to raise awareness of the organization, especially as it prepares to kick off one of its biggest fundraisers this Saturday -- the third annual Fun Walk & 5K. For more information on ASK and the fundraiser, visit www.askweb.org.

Peggy Andrews

How did you get involved with ASK?
I first became aware after my daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor. When she started chemotherapy, I became aware of the organization through the nurses in the clinic and so forth. Then when my daughter was undergoing therapy at Children's Hospital, Ms. Cuomo was there full time in the education department so she knew and she was affiliated with ASK and knew I was bringing Tiffany over for therapy. So she'd let me come over and talk to her. She started telling me about the organization and what they do for kids.

One of the first things we did is a family picnic ... my daughter was either in the hospital or housebound, and ASK was kind of an outlet to get her out in public even though she was in wheelchair at the time. It gave her some socializing with other kids and, for us, contact with other parents.

How did you find out your daughter had cancer?
She was diagnosed at 13. She's now 20 years ago and a sophomore in the School of Arts and Graphic design at VCU. She had a malignant brain tumor, a medullo blastoma. We had been on vacation in August in South Carolina, where we always go, and she was acting a bit lethargic and not really invested in doing much, which is unusual for her because she loves the beach.

She said she had really bad headache and wanted to lie down. To make a long story short, she spent all day in bed for a few days of the vacation. She was just kind of lethargic and not showing too much energy. We called the pediatrician, Dr. John Andrako, when got back. We knew something was up. After he examined her, he said, "Let's figure out what's causing these headaches." He scheduled a CAT scan at St. Mary's. A few days later, we had that and when we got the results back, immediately the radiologist came out and showed me on film that there was a tumor sitting just above the base of her spine. We immediately rushed down to Dr. John Ward, a pediatric neurosurgeon at MCV who's another really great guy. She was scheduled for surgery within a few days.

What happened next?
The surgery was successful, but (the tumor) was in the fourth ventricle, near the brain stem. What happened was she unable to speak. She said one word afterward and then didn't speak for three weeks again. When she did speak, we couldn't understand her at all. She couldn't walk or use her hands, so within about a week, we left MCV to go to Children's Hospital as an inpatient. They discovered internal bleeding, and gastritis from the steroids they'd had to give her before and after the surgery. She went back to the hospital. There were lots of things that happened to her along the way. Within 30 days of surgery, she started oral chemotherapy and radiation. It got to the point where she couldn't keep anything down in her stomach. She wound up back in the hospital at Thanksgiving.

She had to go on IV feeding for the next 14 months. I learned how to do part of the nursing aspect at home because she would be hooked up at night, and gradually weaned off. She was doing well, and trying rehabilitation.

How is she doing now?
She worked really hard to rehabilitate. Now her speech is fine, but she spent about 14 months in speech therapy and physical and occupational therapy. Whatever limitations she has, she has adapted very well. She's a little unsteady on feet, especially when she's tired, but most people wouldn't notice.

As the years progressed and she started feeling better and doing better, she began attending St. Gertrude's High School. She's a graduate. But when she first started, she could only go half a day because she was still in the middle of chemo. Everything was really fragile, and they took a chance on her. They said, "We'll make this work, whatever it takes." She started slow with a half day at first. Everybody worked so hard to make it successful.

She's very much interested in computers, and is thinking about something maybe in Web design. She's just learning, but loves being on a computer, and when she was recovering, as she felt better, she would do that because she was not able to socialize with friends. Her dad has background in architecture and teaches computer design, and he'd always let her play on programs as a little kid. I think she grew up with a natural leaning that way.

How did ASK help you and your daughter?
Just being able to sit down and have someone you could talk to. She (Anne) was there for hour or two. She gave me place to go. Anne is the type of person who's very easy to talk to. She probably helped me more than Tiffany initially.

As Tiffany started to feel better, she would go to more and more of the events, and I'd attend with her. We just found that it was like being surrounded by a very loving network. At the hospital, and they'd have a child life specialist at clinic. The new clinic is bright, and full of things kids would love to be around, and it takes their mind off of things.

What kinds of programs does ASK offer and how has Tiffany gotten involved?
One of the things we're sponsoring is one that's part art therapy and part group sessions with graduate psychology students at VCU, and it included family participation. The art project you do at the beginning of the evening and the kids would go into little sessions and parents would too. It was one of the first things we did.

The other things she enjoyed was doing the video, and we have another program we do is called "Girls Day Out" at a spa and she loves that. One of the board members owns Gali's Salon in Carytown. It's called "girls just want to have fun." She loved it because Allison (the salon owner) would close the shop down; the employees would come in, and they'd get massages, get their nails done and haircuts. They would just be treated like royalty. Then at Christmas, we'd do the tacky lights tour. And we'd also have family picnics.

A couple of years ago, we started a youth advisory board, and one of the things we sponsor is a retreat for young adult survivors, which starts at age 19. Tiffany has started participating in that. It's been really good because it gives them a base of like individuals to be with, and kind of a support group without being a support group.

Tiffany has done the Fun Walk the past three years and each year, she has had friends come out and walk with her. She also went out and raised a lot of money through St. Edwards' Epiphany and St. Gertrude's. This year, her group is called Tiaras for Tiffany. She's raised about $900 this year. I'm really proud of her.

She's learning how important volunteering and giving back is. I know it's kind of cliché, but it really and truly is. We also do it (volunteer) for those with pediatric brain tumors. It allows both of us, especially her, to take her all the bad things that happened to her and channel it in very positive way. The big thing ASK does for kids is that it really helps support you all the way through. You always feel like someone's there if you need it.