Supporting a Grieving Family Through Cancer
- Kelsey Parker, 32, is beyond grateful for rocker Ed Sheeran and his generosity; he kindly helped pay for her late husband Tom Parker’s medical bills during his brain cancer fight.
- Kelsey sat down with ITV’s Lorraine to discuss The Wanted singer’s powerful posthumous book, Hope: My inspirational life, and revealed that she gave Ed Sheeran crystals, because it’s the only special thing she could think of to give to someone who has everything.
- Supporting a spouse through their cancer treatment is difficult, and Kelsey stuck by Tom’s side throughout. No matter what Tom was going through and the difficult days he faced, his positivity and humor shined through the entire time.
Kelsey appeared on ITV’s Lorraine and expressed her immense gratitude for the hitmaker, 31, who helped the family pay for some of Tom’s medical debt.
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“He's an] unbelievable person,” Kelsey reiterated about Ed and his generosity. “He didn't need to do that, and he didn't even ask for anything from it it was like, ‘I'm giving you this, please.'”
In Tom’s bestselling book entitled Hope: My Inspirational Lifereleased posthumously last monthhe wrote: ‘I’ve never publicly said this before (and he’ll probably be mad that I’m doing it now) but Ed is a very special man he even helped out with my medical bills when I was seeking other treatment options and having private immunotherapy.”
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The late artist, who had been pals with Ed for around 10 years expressed how thankful he was for their close friendship. “He didn’t need to do any of that, but my wife Kelsey and I are so grateful to him for his support, it meant the world.”
Losing a Father and Husband
Kelsey also shared the heartbreaking fact that her daughter Aurelia doesn’t quite understand that her dad is gone and seems to think he is “on tour” and will be coming back, as he always would after gigs. Tragically, Kelsey has had to be really blunt about the fact that he won’t be.
Telling Your Kids You Have Cancer: ‘When it Comes to Your Kids, You Want to Protect Them’
A lot of survivors tell us that telling their loved ones was one of the hardest things about having cancer, especially children. How do you keep strong for your kids when you're simply not feeling strong?
Gina de Givenchy says she told her daughter, who was 12 at the time of her diagnosis, the day after she found out. "I really wanted her to know that I was going to be OK," Gina says. "I didn't want her to see me weak and sickly. It is what it is, you can't really hide it. But when it comes to your kids, I think you want to protect them."
Related: The Toughest Conversations: Losing a Spouse to Cancer
It’s one thing to see a parent sick, like Tom, who fought the entire time to be around as long as he could. But explaining death to young children is understandably beyond confusing for them, especially when you’re dealing with your own immense grief.
Supporting a spouse through their cancer treatment is difficult, and Kelsey stuck by Tom’s side throughout. No matter what Tom was going through and the difficult days he faced, his positivity and humor shined through the entire time. Kelsey was his rock and kept the family operating at all times.
"For my kids, for Tom, for my family, I think it's a really bad horrendous situation but staying positive is the only way to get through this," Kelsey had said of her journey as caregiver. "People are looking at me thinking 'how is she getting out of bed in the morning?' but I think it's the only way to get through this."
What is Glioblastoma?
Tom Parker announced that he was diagnosed with glioblastoma in October of 2020.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer for which there is currently no cure. It's the most aggressive primary brain tumor. To fight his disease, Tom Parker underwent radiation and chemotherapy in order to slow the spread of his cancer.
It’s important to know that there is currently more hope for this disease. Brain cancer treatment options are broadening, thanks to newer cancer research. Duke University Medical Center neuro-oncologist Dr. Henry Friedman tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview there is progress being made in treatment of the disease.
There Is New Hope for Those Fighting Glioblastoma; Using Polio & Immunotherapy to Fight Brain Tumors
Dr. Friedman said in a previous interview that his Duke colleagues are investigating a new therapy that combines the modified poliovirus and immunotherapy. "The modified poliovirus is used to treat this tumor, by injecting it directly into the tumor, through a catheter. It is designed to lyse the tumor and cause the tumor cells to basically break up" he told SurvivorNet.
"I think that the modified poliovirus is going to be a game-changer in glioblastoma," Dr. Friedman added.
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