Angels Among Us: Taking the Mystery Out of Pediatric Cancer

by Jill Weinlein

Life as a teenager can be difficult and awkward. In addition to all the usual problems arising from puberty, Dylan Crane, a La Canada, CA resident was faced with a life threatening revelation, a revelation that would lead to a profound connection across the U.S. that now stands to inspire many who face devastating childhood disease.

The Challenge After a routine blood test came back abnormal, Dylan was admitted into UCLA for a battery of tests. Doctors determined that Dylan had a Stage 3 Germ Cell malignant tumor the size of a cantaloupe next to his heart. The Crane family was in shock, because Dylan had no symptoms. UCLA doctors recommended 2 to 4 rounds of chemotherapy, then surgery, and more chemo. Wanting a second opinion, they decided to speak with specialists at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. Children's Hospital, with a similar plan of attack, was a much closer commute and became the choice of the Cranes. In late May of that year, Dylan stopped going to school and began his first five days of chemotherapy. He remained in the hospital for a week where he developed rashes, lost his appetite, and slept constantly. His mother, Tammy, slept at his side every night and became a staunch advocate for her son's care. At the hospital, she learned about a teenage support group, Teen Impact, and hoped this might help her son, if not immediately, later in his journey. Dylan's life used to follow the same path as his friends, but now he faced a roadblock and was traveling down a scary detour. During his 14th birthday, his white and red blood cell counts dropped, causing him to be very tired. His stomach was upset; he had sores in his mouth from the chemo, and he began losing his luxurious, curly dark brown hair. It was devastating for Dylan. His second round of chemo, two weeks later, was more difficult. He couldn't hold food down and lost 20 pounds in just five weeks. Three weeks later, a third round of chemo and tests were performed to determine if the tumor shrunk. His alpha-feta protein levels had dropped dramatically, but a CT scan showed the tumor size hadn't changed. Doctors recommended a 4th round of chemo and then surgery. Since the tumor rested on Dylan's heart and was pressing on his right lung, doctors would perform open-heart surgery with an 8-inch incision. After 3 hours in surgery, the Crane family was informed it was a success. Tammy was walking on clouds knowing her son was now tumor-free. Doctors informed her that her son needed two more rounds of chemo to complete the treatment. Dylan faced the task with strength knowing there was a light at the end of the tunnel. After six-months of living in the world of cancer, he was going to hopefully get back to living like a typical teenager again. He wanted to go back to school, wrestle with his younger brother, and look forward to learning to drive a car soon.

Finding Hope Dylan began investigating the Teen Impact program and felt a strong connection. Here was a place where other children with cancer faced the same, or similar, challenges. With "drop-in" support for him and his family, and bi-monthly support and therapy groups, it was a place where he could share his feelings of despair, isolation, and even hope.

3 Times the Charm Three years later, Dylan is still active in the program and visits Children's Hospital every four months for tests, check ups, and scans. Happily he is cancer-free. His Mom recently learned of two boys, also named Dylan Crane in the United States, with a pediatric cancer connection. One lived in St. Petersburg, Florida and fought a valiant battle with cancer. He documented his entire battle with Ewing's Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and titled his films "My Cancer Miracle." His goal was to take the mystery out of cancer for other kids and their families. His award-winning movies captured the attention of a Dylan Crane in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Even though he doesn't have cancer, he was inspired to raise $20,000 for pediatric cancer, convincing 72 people to shave their heads with him to help kids with cancer. Tammy contacted the other Dylan Cranes' parents and shared her son's success story as a cancer survivor. The families started a foundation called Project DC3. " Our Dylan Cranes are the face of childhood cancer. One battles cancer and survives, one battles and then loses his life, and one child named Dylan Crane wants to make a difference and raise money," states Tammy Crane.

These three boys have three messages, and one cause, to inform the world of pediatric cancer. To learn more about Project DC3, and the heroic stories of the three Dylan's, go to www.projectDC3.com