RICHMOND, Va. -- Grace Black was five years old when she was first diagnosed with cancer.
Today, at 16 and cancer-free, she’s speaking with Virginia lawmakers about the long-term effects of her illness that can make learning challenging.
She says educational support has played a big role in helping her navigate big learning hurdles.
“There’s definitely discouragement, like why can’t I learn like everyone else?” Grace said. “I lost 96% of my visual memory so it makes it very hard to spell and it makes my brain work ten times harder in order to do the same schoolwork that my classmates are doing, and my peers are doing.”
Grace was among 40 advocates with the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation who met with Virginia’s state delegates and senators on Wednesday, thanking them for their support of children and adolescents who are battling cancer or are survivors.
This past year, for the first time in Virginia’s history, the state budget allotted $700,000 in funds to help provide educational resources for children with cancer.
Children like 4-year-old Tallulah, who now has an Education Support Navigator helping her adjust to preschool while undergoing treatment for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Tallulah’s mother, Melissa Heatley, says the support provided by the ASK Foundation has given her family peace of mind.
“The relationship that we’ve forged and the friendships, they mean everything to us,” Heatley said.
Heatley also met with lawmakers Wednesday morning, to encourage more funding to assist families. While there is one education navigator in all five major cancer treatment centers across the state, ASK is hoping the program will grow to include more education specialists.
“About six to seven children are diagnosed across the Commonwealth of Virginia with cancer every week,” Heatley said. “It’s such a high number so we want to raise awareness.”
Education navigators not only bridge the gap between a child’s medical team and their schoolteachers and counselors, but they also help children deal with all the emotions that come with cancer.
Amy Godkin, Executive Director of the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, says more than 500 children have received education assistance this year alone.
“Two-thirds of all our survivors will have permanent late effects that will impact their ability to learn, to grow, and to thrive after treatments,” Godkin said. “Our vision for patients and survivors across Virginia is that they’ll have all the support to move forward and not just survive cancer but thrive.”
Grace said she hopes that lawmakers will continue to support funds for cancer resources and research, especially to help Virginia’s adolescent and young adult patients who have a higher risk of psychological distress and depression associated with their illness and need more resources and assistance.
‘It’s very important for people to know that ASK is here to help and ASK is here to encourage you and to help you get the resources and the help you need,” Black said.
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