Share Your Story: Ira Hughes

Ira Hughes and his family went through two and half years of fighting pediatric cancer with their daughter Audrey before she passed away in 2017.

01:17: Can you take us back to the very beginning and what happened with your daughter?
03:33: She progressed while we got some physical therapy, everything was looking like a normal kid.
05:16: They went to do some research and found four documented cases that had ever originated in the spinal quarter before.
07:16: She was getting chemo.
09:20: The hospital we had gone to had partnered with MD Anderson in Houston.
11:03: It's a very aggressive growing cancer.
15:05: She always made people laugh, made us laugh.
17:56: Phase one trial is a significant trial and it's mainly for safety at that point to see if the patient can tolerate the regimen.
20:48: I can't imagine trying to fight cancer right now and having our families more separated than they were during that time.
23:29: Do you mind if we talk about the after?
26:01: We're going to be a strong family of four or a strong family of three when we get out of this.
28:42: I try to read a book a week or listen to a book a week.
30:13: I think my wife and I had done a good job of letting each other have the time that we need to have to heal.
32:30: I felt like I was giving away my child.
34:07: When did Audrey die?
37:10: I felt like I was in a place where I generally would be happy, but I wasn't giving myself permission to be happy yet.
39:08: I almost threw myself off the roof.
41:17: Our battle through cancer was on social media.
46:03: What is one thing you wish you had known at the very beginning of Audrey's cancer journey?
47:09: If you could only do one thing to improve health care in the U.S., what would it be and why?
48:37: Thriver Rapid Fire
50:40: Aside from Cancer U, what is one resource you recommend for cancer patients and caregivers?

Resources

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