Caring For Kids With Cancer

By Jennifer Loren, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Right now there are more than 100 children being treated for cancer through Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Twenty years ago that same hospital saw almost half that many children.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month and local parents want you to be aware Tulsa children are putting up a good fight.

On Friday, Micah Winfield gets to play like a normal 5-year-old. But it's not like this every day.

"Some of the chemo is really nasty to him, makes him have a lot of body pain," said Karen Ritchie.

In June, Micah's family learned he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL, the most common type of childhood cancer.

"I was frozen and I really don't remember little sections of time after that because um, it just didn't seem real," said Karen Ritchie.

The same day Micah was diagnosed, he checked in to Saint Francis Children's Hospital in Tulsa where his parents learned he was not alone.

Saint Francis' Pediatric Oncology Unit diagnoses 60 to 65 children with cancer every year.

"I was kind of ashamed almost at first because I thought I should've, how did I not know this was going on all around me?" said Karen Ritchie.

Now Micah's family wants you to be aware that right here in Tulsa there are dozens of children putting up a good fight against cancer.

"Seeing what these kids go through every week, every day, it's, they are the bravest kids you will ever, ever meet," said Karen Ritchie.

Kids just like Micah, on a long journey to hopefully become cancer free.

"You just kind of have to mentally set a date, and that's your cancer free date, your five year day. And just work towards that day and realize you're going to have ups and downs but eventually you're going to get to that point and you're going to get to celebrate," said George Ritchie.

Researchers are making progress as they try to identify the causes of childhood cancer. But right now doctors say there is no rhyme or reason for a child to get the disease.