I love music because it clears my mind. When I’m in a good mood, I listen to Indie music on the radio. The first time I ever heard Radio Lollipop (a fully equipped radio station staffed by a team of volunteers at Texas Children’s Hospital) was January 31, 2011. I was in a bed feeling down on [...]
Being on the other side of cancer is easier than being in the middle. When you’re in the middle, it’s like being at sea and not knowing where you’re going. Some days were easy, while others were very challenging. The best parts of being sick were seeing all the friendly [...]
Before I got sick, I used to play soccer. I liked it because you run a lot, and the exercise feels good. I would play with one of my friends. My favorite position was goalie. I grew up hearing about soccer. My older brothers play, and I used to go to tournaments. I like the [...]
WITS remembers Alice Hoffman, a gifted writer and a wonderfully generous young woman who passed away in the spring. Below we have posted a poem she wrote 3 years ago in the WITS program. Rest in peace, Alice, rest in peace. For another WITS story about Alice, click here.
When I’m in the hospital, I feel colors going crazy inside me. I go, “Wa, wa, wa.” That’s what my picture says, “Wa, Wa, Wa.” “Wa, Wa, Wa” by Xavier, age 4
September 2011 is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. To raise awareness, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers (TCCHC) sponsors an extraordinary event called Making a Mark, the annual art exhibit presented by The Periwinkle Foundation. The Periwinkle Foundation, which reaches more than 4,000 children every year, provides programs for children, young people, and their families [...]
I’m at home. The sun shines brightly in my face. I sit on the back porch by the Sports section of the newspaper which is only saved from blowing away by two scuffed-up, supposed-to-be church shoes. I lean on a box of shoe cleaning materials and wait for my mom to come outside with the [...]
My soul is like the ocean. It’s deep. I wish to wander in the sky. My life has been sad for the past two years. Sometimes. All water is blue like my Mondays, but I just need to believe and love. By Keyon, 7th grade Texas Children’s Hospital
WITS Writer Melanie Malinowski guides Jasmine through a writing lesson during her dialysis treatment at Texas Children’s Hospital. When I was six years old, I never would have imagined that I would be sick. I have a kidney disease called Lupus Nephritus, an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease of the [...]
Happy Today I feel so happy. I love candy. Because. I don’t know why I’m happy. Oh, I am happy because I stuck myself today. Sometimes, I feel split in half, like a sunset with beautiful flowers and a frost with so much horror and death. But today I feel like dancing, like the couple [...]
When life is hard, I cough away negativity. When everything goes wrong, I shout for happiness to return. When I’m struggling, I whisper to my sister for help. When I need strength, I open myself to God. When the world falls apart, I sweep the pieces together and make a new picture. By Jessica, age [...]
Since I was little, I’ve loved gymnastics. I would practice doing flips and cartwheels at home, even when I was six. I remember once when I was trying to do a flip, I fell on my head. It scared me out of doing it for awhile, but then I got up courage and started doing [...]
Texas Children’s Cancer Center is full of young authors. I work with them every week through WITS and always leave inspired. The children in outpatient treatment come in to the clinic regularly, so I often get to build a relationship with them. When we are first getting to know each other, many children choose safe, [...]
To be me okay come go out stop in don’t go out boy girl men women flower rose dirt deaf bye go and don’t come back By Angela, 7th grade [photo by bad music laine via flickr]
Carol Herron is one of many “invisible” heroes who collaborate with WITS. Writers Amy Storrow, Darby Sanders, Melanie Melanowski, and I have had the pleasure of working with her over the last decade, and we can all attest to her professionalism, dedication to the arts, and calm demeanor, even when faced with challenges such as [...]
