Palliative Care: Making Every Day the Best It Can Be

20-year-old Brayden Gresham is not just a Star Wars fan. He is passionate about Star Wars: the movies, the Lego^® models, and the video games. He recently got to meet stormtroopers, Kylo Ren, and others at Disney World.

Brayden is also passionate about life. And his is a life that has not always been easy.

Brayden was an infant when he became a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His dad remembers how, as a toddler, Brayden’s joy for life was visible to everyone even then.

“He was a little superstar,” Lee says, smiling. “Everybody knew him.”

Brayden was less than 2 years old when he was treated for hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer. Over the years, he has had many other medical conditions. He has been diagnosed with familial adenomatosis polyposis, a genetic condition that causes growths in the large and small intestines. He has also had desmoid tumors, which are growths that develop in tissues such as tendons and ligaments.

When people ask Brayden’s mom and dad how they handle a life that does not seem normal, Lee has a simple answer.

“Normal is just a setting on a washing machine,” he laughs.

The Greshams have a lot of friends and family who lend a hand when needed. The couple also lean on Brayden’s medical team when they have questions and concerns. And they get help from the Palliative Care (Pal) team.

The Pal team is made up of palliative care specialists. These provide an extra layer of support, from symptom management to complex care.

Many people think these specialists only help with end-of-life care. But they do much more.

They work to make sure every day is the best it can be for patients and their families. They often work with providers from across disciplines, including chaplains, art and music therapists, child life specialists, and more.

Help can range from symptom management and home-based support to integrative medicine using massage therapy and yoga.

The Pal team also works closely with social workers. The Gresham family receives essential support from Angelia Lenschau, LCSW, OSW-C, a social worker in the ACT Clinic.

“The Gresham family is such a delight to work with,” Lenschau says.

She works with patients and families to provide emotional support and connect them with resources that are most helpful to them.

The Greshams agree that their experiences with St. Jude have made them stronger both individually and as a family.

“I love my family so much!” Brayden shouts.

His mom and dad just laugh because that is Brayden. Passionate. Caring.

Words that they might also apply to the Pal team.

“I encourage all families to work with Quality of Life and Palliative Care,” Dana says. “It’s nice talking to somebody and hearing that other families feel the same way you feel.”