Life changed drastically earlier this year for San Marcos, California resident Kristen Higgins, husband Josh (a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department at Palomar Medical Center, Escondido, CA) and the rest of her family. That’s when Kristen’s four-year-old daughter Hannah was diagnosed with a Stage 5 level of a rare kidney cancer known as Bilateral Wilms tumor. The Treasure Chest Foundation recently talked with Kristen, a stay-at-home mom, to learn more about how the Higgins family is coping with young Hannah’s battle against childhood cancer.

POTCF: Can you tell us about the time your child was diagnosed?

Kristen: Hannah had been having abdominal pain for almost two months. We had visited her pediatrician multiple times during this period, and she was treated for constipation (their best guess as to what was going on). We had an abdominal ultrasound and a comprehensive panel of labs done to see if there could be any other causes (food allergies, elevated counts of anything) and everything came back “normal”.

POTCF: How was your child’s cancer initially detected?

Kristen: Finally, after so many weeks of Hannah being in pain, not eating much of anything and not being able to get into a comfortable position to sleep, we took her to the ER at Palomar Medical Center where my husband Josh works for some imaging. An MRI showed that she had masses on both kidneys. We were transferred down to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego where a chest CT also showed some spots on her lungs.

POTCF: What was your reaction when you heard the news?

Kristen: Shock and then I quickly turned into the “do-er” to make sure Hannah was ok and not scared and that my husband (because he is in the medical field) did not drive himself crazy with the what-ifs.

POTCF: What type of treatment did your child go through?

Kristen: Hannah completed 12 weeks of chemotherapy before having a full and partial nephrectomy done on her kidneys. We are now in a 16-week chemo plan post surgery and also are having six sessions of flank radiation and eight sessions of lung radiation.

POTCF: Can you tell us about the hospitalizations/clinic?

Kristen: We have been lucky that we have been able to complete Hannah’s chemo on an outpatient basis after her initial week of being inpatient after diagnosis. Post surgery we were inpatient for 11 days. Rady Children’s Hospital is wonderful—we have been very pleased with the staff, the facilities and the oncology program in general.

POTCF: What is the worst part of your child’s treatment?

Kristen: Seeing Hannah in pain and sick is the hardest thing to watch as a parent. You feel helpless because you know there really isn’t anything that can change what she has to go through and how she is feeling.

POTCF: What is the best part, if there is a good part, of the clinic/hospital?

Kristen: The nurses are the best part of our hospital/clinic visits. They make the effort to make Hannah feel comfortable and safe and to remember the little things she likes (how she likes her port accessed, what type of dressing she prefers, etc).

POTCF: Can you tell me about the Treasure Chest at the hospital?

Kristen: When we were on the inpatient side and not very mobile, the nurses would bring a few choices of toys in after Hannah went through particularly uncomfortable procedures (surgery to have a port placed, when NG (nasogastric) tubes had to be inserted, etc.) and she would get a chance to pick a toy. In the clinic there is a Treasure Chest that Hannah was allowed to visit to select a toy on a day when things seemed tough.

POTCF: Did knowing your child would receive a toy or gift card help the hospital/clinic experience?

Kristen: Hannah enjoyed seeing all of the toy and gift choices and when she saw one of her favorites (Barbies or Disney Palace Pets) she would get a huge smile and was distracted enough from whatever she was upset about previously that her focus turned to the toy. She would love to show it off to her nurses and tell them and anyone else who visited our room what toy she had selected and why.

POTCF: Did your relationship with friends and family change?

Kristen: Yes. I would say that some friends and family have stepped up to support our situation in positive ways that I was not expecting and some have unfortunately disappointed us. Cancer seems like a toxic word—some friends, especially those with small children seem uncomfortable, like it hits too close to home for them.

POTCF: How did Hannah’s siblings handle her cancer diagnosis and the aftermath?

Kristen: Hannah’s sister, Emma, knew that her sister had not been feeling well and not wanting to play for so long before her diagnosis that she seemed happy that Hannah was now going to get treatment to “get better”. We have used role playing, especially with dolls, to model a lot of the things Hannah is going through (doctor visits, preparing for surgery, going to radiation, etc).

POTCF: Someone once told me (Colleen) that my son’s cancer treatment would change me for the better. Has this changed you in any way?

Kristen: It has made me more aware that my faith is absolutely essential for getting through this. No person has been able to reassure me about this situation in the way that my faith does. Some things are unexplainable, especially when trying to understand why our kids have to suffer.

POTCF: What would you say to a family who has just learned their son or daughter had been diagnosed with cancer?

Kristen: I would say that I was so sorry that this was happening to their family.

POTCF: What would you say to the Treasure Chest Foundation contributors? Please elaborate on the importance of their need to keep contributing.

Kristen: I think as a parent of a child with cancer I appreciate resources like the Treasure Chest Foundation so much because they realize that the tough procedures don’t go away after the initial diagnosis. When Hannah’s at the clinic, during a transfusion for example, or on a day when she’s anxious about something “new”, the prospect of getting a little prize helps bring a smile to her face and gives her something to look forward to. One thing I’ve found during our experience with cancer is that there is a huge outpouring of support in the beginning at the time of initial diagnosis. Then life naturally goes on for others as our journey with treatment continues. I am thankful for the people who support the Foundation by donating toys to keep kids like Hannah (and her parents too!) feeling like she and the other patients are being thought of throughout their treatment.

POTCF: (this question was asked directly to Hannah) What was your favorite toy from the Treasure Chest?

Hannah: The pink Barbie with all of the jewels. 

POTCF: Can you talk about the Treasure Chest? 

Hannah: I like to go to it sometimes at chemo. I like to see what is inside when they open it.