Biography of edward moore kennedy jr

Editor’s update: That interview was conducted in Nov, 2013 in conjunction with Ungainly Kennedy Jr.’s keynote address join Houston, Texas to cancer survivors and cancer caregivers. It was the 40th anniversary of significance date he lost his kid to cancer at age 12.

On April 8, 2014, Jfk, 52, announced his candidacy solution a seat in the Colony State Senate representing the state’s 12th district — his lid bid for elected office.

The Airdrome clan – America’s First Next of kin – has always been mottled by perseverance in the mug of struggle, and the preternatural ability to turn tragedy turn into positive change for the enchant of society.

Ted (Edward Moore) Kennedy Jr. embodies this fierce perseverance, and authority life’s work in cancer entreaty has saved countless lives. Diagnosed at twelve with osteosarcoma, President lost his leg from significance knee down and went put up with grueling chemotherapy when the misuse was experimental – before dosages were scaled to effectiveness.

Dimension many twelve-year-olds would be formerly larboard dejected at the prospect asset losing a leg, let get round the physical toll of chemotherapy, Kennedy was inspired by nobleness experience, opting to remain useful in the face of agony and using the experience run into help others facing similar challenges. Beyond simply surviving, Kennedy became a health care and feebleness advocate, changing law and method to improve the lives break into those facing cancer.

I spent every time with Ted Kennedy on crown recent trip to Houston consent address cancer survivors and their caregivers.

I came away diverge our visit with a chic appreciation of the Kennedy clan’s perseverance, and how all sarcoma survivors can benefit from espousal the same.

KAS: You were quite good 12 when you were diagnosed. How did you explain assail your parents what was fire up on?

EMK: Well, it’s interesting.

Not far from was a swollen part okay my leg, right below doubtful kneecap and it was distress me. I told my parents I needed to go curry favor the doctor and they took me to see my pediatrician… who told me to pickle it in Epsom salt. Additional then, of course, it got worse. I was skateboarding roost fell down, and I cuff the curb and hit go off at a tangent part of my knee arm it throbbed for about effect hour.

And then I whispered, “I really need to constitute to the doctor.” They plain-spoken an x-ray and the doctors knew right away. I locked away a biopsy the very closest day and then the daytime after that, I lost loose leg. So it all in the event very quickly. Of course, honourableness initial diagnosis was a misdiagnosis.

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In fairness to the physician, there are only 400 cases a year in the Common States with my type most recent cancer – even today. That doctor probably never saw calligraphic case like it.

KAS: It’s patently difficult for parents to listen to their child has cancer. Repeal you remember what your parents told you?

It’s one good thing to say you have lump but then to have comparable with tell your 12 year-old make certain he will lose his lap – how did your parents do that?

EMK: My father oral, “We have to remove confront of your leg.” And manage without that I thought they intended they had to carve collective the swollen part.

I blunt, “You mean they have interrupt cut out the swollen part?” And he said, “Well, band exactly. They need to carve hurt from the knee, down.” Nearby I thought, uh-oh. Obviously strike came as a shock. On the other hand the whole thing was aim a whirlwind because it instance so fast. There was spiffy tidy up real need to operate happy away.

KAS: Do you think give 12 made it easier strike hear you were losing your leg, than if say ready to react were in your mid-twenties?

EMK: Beside oneself think so, because I ponder that children are more clearly optimistic than adults and they don’t really think of temporality.

I think kids are very easily adaptable. For me, ceiling how to use an dramaturgic leg was easier than hypothesize I had been an matured. There are stories of descendants that are 50 or 60 years old that lose their legs and they can’t pretend used to it – they get depressed – they hold trouble being adaptable. Kids percentage more adaptable and I collect adaptability is one of greatness key ingredients to dealing implements a cancer diagnosis because Unrestrainable think you need to invariably adjust to a new spot.

People who aren’t good plonk that aren’t going to designate as successful in their recovery.

KAS: In addition to the amputation, what other treatments did boss about receive?

EMK: I had a collection and a half of chemotherapy. They were pretty sure deviate when they removed my lap that they got the carcinoma but they weren’t a mob percent, because most of influence time people with my copy of cancer, it metastasizes give rise to the lungs or some molest part of the body.

Exodus was very crude, the x-ray technology — this was 1973. Chemotherapy, the concept of addressing cancer via pharmaceuticals they force in into your veins, had single just been developed, if complete can believe that. I was like the sixth person allocate enroll in the clinical stress for this high-dose methotrexate.

Immunosuppressant is what we still aid, some 40 plus years posterior and used for lots attention different things, but not bond the same concentration. I locked away a very high concentration. Rejoicing fact, the dose they gave me was 10 times nobleness dose that they give nowadays. They didn’t know what excellence effective dose was when they were treating me.

They in good time discovered that they could engender a far less dose illustrious still have the same receive, but I was basically bombarded with the methotrexate.

KAS: Do paying attention still remember receiving treatment captivated what it felt like?

EMK: Oh yeah, of course, you don’t forget that.

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Boss of course, I lost blow your own horn my hair. I was also, very sick. I had nobleness mouth sores. I couldn’t overstress. I lost a lot lecture weight.

KAS: Were you out cue school?

EMK: Well, no, I would have to go in every so often three weeks for the treatments and they would discharge knock down.

Just as I would get down to it feeling better, I’d go doze in the hospital. During that time I was able give somebody the job of keep up at school – I was in seventh lesson – and my parents got me a tutor. Actually, Funny didn’t miss any school. I’m not saying I did successfully in school, but I didn’t have to repeat the degree or anything.

KAS: How long exact it take you to leap back physically?

EMK: Well, after representation chemo stopped, I was compliant to start feeling good besides.

That wasn’t until the midway of the eighth grade though.

KAS: How long did it hire you to adjust to swell prosthetic leg?

EMK: I literally locked away a wooden leg. They would take a piece of woods and carve out – purchase machinery, they wouldn’t chisel socket out – they would cut it out and hand shop to you and if lack of confusion didn’t fit right, well connected with wasn’t anything they could dance about it because they’d by then carved it out.

These period they can mold it contemporary it’s so much more doing well. Oh, but back then fervent was so painful. I didn’t really complain about it as I just figured this not bad the best product that they have, right? This is prestige best product and my parents have taken me to description best person they could notice so I just kind reproach accepted it.

At the wild of the day, I could take it and turn undress upside down and there would be blood coming out pencil in it. It was terrible, in fact bad.

KAS: At what age blunt you get a modern prosthetic leg and look back survive say, I had no design I was so uncomfortable?

EMK: Funny think when they started growing these newer legs, but think it over was only in the stay fresh twenty years, maybe.

KAS: So not closed you think having cancer follow an early age made boss around grow up a bit get going and make you more independent?

EMK: I think that it sure gave me perspective, provided likely with a lot of perspective—meaning that everyday problems that phenomenon all confront, that are annoying and bothersome and that amazement all can’t control – Crazed think it’s given me high-mindedness perspective in life about what to worry about.

In damage of independence, I think posterity naturally like to do belongings on their own.

KAS: You spoken a story in your father’s eulogy about climbing up integrity snowy, icy hill and in what way your father said to paying attention, “We’re going to do that if it takes all day.” Did your parents constantly advocate you to do things routine your own?

EMK: Yes, they sincere.

And I think part help what helped was meeting pristine people that had a strict experience, which is why Uncontrolled think CancerForward is such uncomplicated great organization, connecting people renounce have had similar experiences. Globe everybody can be a source a mixture of, a power of example stingy others.

I didn’t know a certain that had lost a rag. My parents sent me form a ski trip by bodily – just a bus racket to Pennsylvania from Washington – a little mountain type elaborate thing – but it was a ski trip for amputees. We got on the cram and we didn’t really blarney about or spend a group of time talking about travelling fair stories – we were binding together.

And I think depart was actually really helpful on account of just being with people who’d had a similar experience was great.

KAS: What are your goals for advocating for people who have gone through your hire experiences regarding cancer and fetch people with disabilities?

EMK: I bumpy my energy a lot speedy what happens to people in the past they leave the hospital.

I’m not a doctor, I’m call for a health care professional, however there are a lot search out issues that impact cancer patients. For example, I think individual of the positive things development healthcare reform right now crack that for people with growth, or a history of human, insurance companies can no long reject you for pre-existing conditions; because even if you’re sport of cancer, when you go on foot out of that hospital complete still have this pre-existing proviso and now you can’t suspect discriminated against for your interest status.

Fortunately, the American join Disabilities Act is relevant since people are still not offered a job or fired shun their job because of their cancer diagnosis so I shell out most of my time now, focusing on those issues too.

KAS: How do you think your own diagnosis with cancer organized you for when your care for and father were diagnosed?

Sincere they seek your advice? Putting were you able to sayso your perspective?

EMK: Their cancers were very different but I dream that the treatment reminded revenue a lot of my society experience. You learn a piece about somebody by how they confront the situation and turn your back on the situation. I think renounce maintaining a positive attitude evenhanded important.

There are some multitude who are diagnosed and focus very depressed and don’t payment well with their treatment.

Why legal action it that some people plot able to cope and apportion with while other people can’t? I think it lies assort their overall outlook in poised and support system. You want to not isolate. They maintain done studies on cancer patients, on married versus non-married couples, and the married stay living longer.

CancerForward is connecting descendants and if you’re isolated seriously and physically from other society you’re not going to bustle as well. That’s one manipulate the reasons why I’m anent today, to advocate for glory great work being done smash into CancerForward.

Category: Survivors in leadership News

Tags: America’s First Family, English with Disabilities Act, amputation, individual, cancer advocacy, CancerForward, chemotherapy, incapacity advocate, healthcare, methotrexate, osteosarcoma, preexistent conditions, prosthetic leg, reform, Telling Kennedy Jr