My Brother Has Leukemia

Eight-year-old Amanda experienced many ups and downs when her brother had cancer:

Sometimes having a brother with leukemia is fun, like when my family goes on the Fantasy Flight to the North Pole, and going to the special summer camp, and getting special privileges at Disney World.

But other times, it can be really hard, especially when William gets put in the hospital. Right now, he can't leave his room in the hospital, and the doctors wear masks when they come in. I HATE seeing that. And he stays in for very long periods of time. The first time, he was there for almost 3 weeks! It comes so suddenly. He has stayed out for 5 months, then BAM! He's back in. And the worst of it is, people are always pitying us. "Poor little boy." "Poor William." I guess they like pitying us.

So, leukemia has ups and downs like everything else, but to me it's mostly downs.