Cancer Facts
Click here to learn more.
An Interview with Dr. Cary E. Stroud
Where do patients at the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Center come from?
Every year, we see between 30 and 40 new patients that come from a 50-mile radius that extends north of Spartanburg Couny to the south of Anderson County all the way into Georgia. Statistically, I would say our patient population breaks down the following way:
- 40% from Greenville
- 20% Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union.
- 20% Pickens, Anderson, Oconee.
- 20% Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville, and upper Georgia
What changes have you seen since you first started treating childhood cancers?
From a 30-year perspecti ve, we're making progress. We used to be very excited if a child that was diagnosed with cancer would be able to live a few years. Now, the most dramatic change is that 80% of patients can be cured. Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, but there is a lack of progress in the treatment of brain tumors, which is the second most common.
When a child is diagnosed, what are the initial goals for the patient and the family?
The initial focus is to provide treatment while disrupting the family's lifestyle as little as possible. The child needs to get back in school, and the parents need to to get back to work. That's where Clement's Kindness comes in. The financial assistance enables the parents to be present for their child's treatment without having to worry if they can make their next car or mortgage payment. Cancer is not discerning. We see needs from a broad spectrum. Typically, one parent has to drop out of the work force or go part-time to support their child's treatment. If that person is a single parent, then he/she may have to leave a job entirely with no income coming in at a critical time.