9-Year-Old With Lymphoma Designs Color Scheme for NASCAR Driver

Nine-year-old Wyatt Zender of Washington state had a special section in the stands reserved just for him and his family for the 2017 NASCAR Chip Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on September 17^th.

It seems Wyatt had an investment, of sorts, in the event.

As it turns out, Wyatt had submitted a racecar paint design to a contest for the event, sponsored by the Seattle Children’s Hospital, and he won! His design was painted onto Kasey Kahne’s No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS.

Kasey, also a Washington state native, partnered with Seattle Children’s for the contest. He saw to it that, prior to the race, Wyatt could actually sit inside his No. 5 racer.

Wyatt was just a patient at the Seattle Children’s Hospital when he took part in the competition, which is a pediatric treatment as well as a research center. He was being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Wyatt was diagnosed with cancer after his mom noticed a lump on his neck. This is known to be a lymph node swelling, a common symptom of lymphoma. The lymph system is a major part of the immune system. A few of the risk factors associated with this disease are HIV, Epstein-Barr viral infection, type 1 diabetes, and asthma. If the child has any of these conditions then, they are at an increased risk of contracting Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The disease can attack both adults as well as children, and the treatment for a child is similar to that for an adult, but with marked changes in the therapy so as to reduce the adverse side effects. The main treatment for a child is meant to deal with the cancer without leading to any long-term side effects for the patient. If the child is old enough that their muscles and bones are completely developed, they would receive the same treatment as adults, which can include radiation, but for those who are not mature enough, the doctor would most likely use chemotherapy instead of the radiation since the gamma rays have a tendency to stall the growth of bones and muscles.

Even after treatment is completed, the child would need to be closely monitored since the chemotherapy’s side effects are known to lasts for years. Such children are prone to developing serious medical conditions throughout their lives and also have a tendency to die at a much younger age than those who do not have NIH.

The ACS, or American Cancer Society, has spoken about the advantages a child can receive in terms of treatment at their centers. There are various kinds of support provided to the child as well as their family. Apart from the multifarious medically trained cancer specialists, these centers are also known to offer other services which can include social workers, child life specialists, nutritional psychologists, physical therapists, and rehabilitation centers.

Wyatt was discharged after months of cancer treatment from the Seattle Children’s Hospital. He had to undergo surgery as well as chemotherapy. However, he has since returned to school and is now planning to participate in his favorite sports.