During the first cycle of chemo, nurses and doctors had a difficult time putting in the canula. CJ was extremely upset, screaming in pain, until a nurse presented him with a teddy bear donated by a supporter of The Kids’ Cancer Project.
“When she gave him the bear, his little face just lit up,” Chrizette says. “This first one was Pirate Bear, and he held the teddy over the port on his chest, as if it was protecting him.”
“He cuddled that bear for the entire cycle. After that, we took bears everywhere. It helped so much on the days he had to go to hospital, because he knew he might receive a new bear. It took some of the fear away, distracted him and made him feel protected,” she says.