Asher Marks, MD, in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Newswise — What are some of the biggest challenges you face in caring for cancers in children?

The biggest challenges are around supporting the parents. For the most part, children are resilient and upbeat. Parents, however, understand the dire situation that their children are in and most would give anything to switch positions.

How are you using technologies such as virtual reality to aid in the care of patients?
There are a number of ways we can use these technologies. They can range from pain distraction and physical therapy to education and communication. One of our primary use cases is to run VR-based support groups for our teens and young adults.

Advice for families and loved ones that may have a child facing a cancer diagnosis?
Lean on us. We are here for you and have resources to help the entire family through this difficult time. Our goal is for the cancer diagnosis to affect your child’s life as little as possible. We want to see them in school, at sports, and playing with friends as much as possible, and are dedicated to helping you make this happen.