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Meet Kurt
Kurt says that he will never forget his last week of elementary school. Instead of looking forward to summer vacation and spending time with friends, Kurt’s week was scheduled with doctor visits to determine the cause of a lump on his neck.
Kurt’s pediatrician referred him to University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital for further evaluation and tests. Kurt and his family first met with pediatric oncologist Joseph Neglia, M.D., M.P.H. Dr. Neglia diagnosed him with lymphoblastic lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin cancer. Dr. Neglia recommended that Kurt start a six-month regimen of chemotherapy treatment immediately.
While undergoing treatment, Kurt, an avid athlete, continued his favorite sport of wrestling. “The biggest thing I missed during my treatment was never feeling better than OK. I never felt great or even good,” Kurt recalls.
Long-term follow-up care
Kurt completed his treatments, and is now a patient at the Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic at the University of Minnesota Physicians Masonic Cancer Clinic.
The Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic provides patients with access to physicians, nurses and other medical specialists who specialize in the needs of survivors and can provide a multidisciplinary clinical assessment. Evaluations include: a comprehensive treatment review and summary; physical examination; referrals to subspecialty care, as needed; neuropsychological screening; social services; and educational materials concerning the long-term risks of treatment.
Kurt and his parents say that they are thankful for the care that they received at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. “We can’t say enough about Dr. Neglia and the rest of the team that cared for Kurt and our family,” says Sue, Kurt’s mother. “We also appreciated their honest communication, which helped to prepare us for what was ahead.”
Today, Kurt is a healthy high school senior. He competed in the 2009 Minnesota State High School Wrestling Tournament where his team won the Class Championship. With his health back on track, Kurt is now busy thinking about plans after high school. “I’m hoping to have a career with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,” Kurt notes.
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