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	<title>National Kids Cancer Ride</title>
	<link>http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com</link>
	<description>All inclusive. Fully Supported. Wildly Rewarding.</description>
	<pubDate>Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:20:53 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Cayleb Poirier</title>
		<link>http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com/?p=189</link>
		<comments>http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com/?p=189#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:36:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jb</dc:creator>
		
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><!--<img src="/wp-content/uploads/bios/chris-halper.jpg" width="150" height="157" align="left" style="padding-right:10px;"/>&#8211;>Diagnosis: High Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia<br />
Date of diagnosis: March 11, 2008<br />
Langley, BC</p>
<p>Cayleb was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia on March 11. He spent his first 2 weeks of diagnosis in Children&#8217;s Hospital receiving numerous test and operations. </p>
<p>Cayleb will be receiving treatment for the next 3 years. Our journey will be long but we are hoping to make the road as smooth as possible for our brave little man.</p>
<p>Many people are asking me how we found out that Cayleb had leukemia. Here is the story:</p>
<p>Cayleb has always been a typical healthy and active child who loved playing outside as well as relaxing inside during his days. He has always been within the normal range of development in all areas. </p>
<p>He thou rally enjoyed playing with his friends at daycare and was very imaginative. He adapted very well to playing and sharing with others as well as entertaining himself and playing alone when he wanted to. He was the first child in his daycare to yell out for music to be put on so he could dance! Obviously, he had also grown out of naps.</p>
<p>Cayleb is also a very cautious child who would not participate in major rough play. He had excellent spatial awareness and was not &#8216;clumsy&#8217; by any means. He has always been gentle and very sensitive towards others and himself. This information was useful in determining signs and symptoms linking him to leukemia. </p>
<p>After Christmas, Cayleb began complaining about leg pains. I took him to a walk-in clinic in which they ordered X-rays. The X-rays showed no sign of injury to the bones therefore the doctors told me to wait it out. For those of you who know me well, I did not like this answer and I wanted to ease Cayleb&#8217;s pain as soon as I could. I then took him to a chiropractor who determined that Cayleb has loose spinal discs in his lower back which were bumming up his leg joints. So for a few weeks Cayleb was undergoing weekly chiro visits. For a few days after each visit, his leg would feel fine and he would walk on it normally. We thought the problem was fixed&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;</p>
<p>February came and I had to leave my centre, also the one that Cayleb attends for preschool, for the whole month. I was up extremly early, therefore Cayleb was to as I had to drop him off at daycare before I went on with my day. This was the first time that Cayleb had ever been away from me for long periods of time. We were expecting some melt-downs and the such.</p>
<p>During the time I was gone, Cayleb developed a few common colds. Nothing to worry about, right? <br />
Cayleb also began napping everyday at daycare. Normal, because he was up so early. Who wouldn&#8217;t want a nap after being up at 5:30 am? Big dark circles formed under his eyes which was extremely out of the norm.</p>
<p>One night, beginning of March, Cayleb and I were doing out nightly ritual of bedtime and after our stories and lullabies, I rubbed Cayleb&#8217;s head while he fell asleep. I felt small, hard lumps near the base of his neck, just under his head. This FREAKED me out and I had him into our family doctor the next day.</p>
<p>Our family doctor looked at Cayleb. The lumps I had felt were enlarged lymphoid s due to an ear infection he had. But my doctor was concerned about Cayleb&#8217;s colour and lack of energy. She ordered me to get his blood checked right away. </p>
<p>At 4:00pm Cayleb had his blood drawn. By 9:00pm that same day, my family doctor called me and told me to head straight to Children&#8217;s Hospital. &#8216;It can not wait until tomorrow&#8217; were her exact words. She told me that his blood counts were dangerously low. This was the beginning of Dan and me completely freaking out and shedding a million tears a second!</p>
<p>We left for Children&#8217;s Hospital on March 10 at 9:30pm. We arrived at 10:30pm. The doctors admitted us right away and told us that Cayleb was to stay for at least one week. Because of the questions that were being asked to me about Cayleb, I noticed the bruising that was all along both of his sides. Quite an unusual spot for unexplained bruising. By 3:00am Tuesday morning, we had his diagnosis and thus, the journey began! </p>
<p>What a mouthful, hey?</p>
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		<title>Abigail Sinclair</title>
		<link>http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com/?p=188</link>
		<comments>http://www.searsnationalkidscancerride.com/?p=188#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:33:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jb</dc:creator>
		
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><!--<img src="/wp-content/uploads/bios/chris-halper.jpg" width="150" height="157" align="left" style="padding-right:10px;"/>&#8211;><br />
              Abigail Sinclair, Age 7 – Halifax, Nova Scotia</p>
<p>When Abigail Sinclair of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was three-years-old, she developed flu-like symptoms after returning from a family vacation. She was lethargic and pale and complained of pain.&nbsp; Initially, the doctor felt she had the flu, but when her condition quickly worsened, Abigail’s family doctor sent her directly to the IWK where she was diagnosed with ALL, a form of leukemia.</p>
<p>Over the next two years, Abigail spent eight weeks as an inpatient at the IWK and regularly visited the outpatient clinic for chemotherapy. Abigail finished her treatment in July 2006 and today is a very active seven-year old who enjoys drawing, singing, swimming, watching movies and playing with her friends. She continues to do very well and visits the IWK every two months for check-ups.</p>
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