Letter about Peter, from Leslie Marnett Welch, MS, CCLS
I met Peter and his family when I was working as a Certified Child Life Specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. My job was to help families understand, assimilate and cope with the “new normal” of living with a cancer diagnosis.
All of us working there knew that both the parents and the children wanted to be ANYWHERE but on the pediatric floor of a cancer center.
We knew that kids wanted to be playing and experiencing their lives outside of the hospital. We knew that we could not erase the pain, frustration and fear that came with receiving a cancer diagnosis. So we hoped that we could have some kind of positive impact on the families we served. As it happened, Peter and his parents are the ones who had a positive impact on me. Their resilience was remarkable. Their humor was appreciated. Their bond was admirable. And, Peter’s smile brightened every single room and every single spirit it graced!
Peter was five years old when he followed me into our giant playroom so that the doctors could speak with his parents about his diagnosis and suggested treatment plan.
He was appropriately nervous when we sat down to color together. Afterall, I was a stranger. But within minutes, his innately jovial spirit emerged and his genuine, joy-infusing smile came out. They remained dominant and consistent characters throughout our time together.
One of my favorite memories with Peter involved his coveted stuffed animal, Lucky.
I walked into Peter’s room where he was staying post-surgery and noticed his very sad expression. Initially, I thought he was struggling with his recovery. However, without saying a word, Peter’s father gently handed me Lucky, who had a large rip in his belly. Peter wasn’t worried about his own pain. He was worried about Lucky’s. With needle and thread in hands, Peter and I transformed his bed into an operating room and began stitching Lucky back together. We modeled our procedure after Peter’s surgery and we talked about different ways that could help Lucky cope and get back to playing and seeing his friends. Peter naturally engaged with genuine interest and pure intentions to help Lucky get better. Over the years to follow, I witnessed Peter always willing to help others in spite of his own circumstances.
Peter was one of the most intelligent, open-hearted and compassionate kids I knew.
He instinctively understood that joy was a key component to healing. He not only craved it; he was committed to sharing it. Powered by his amazingly generous and unconditionally loving family, Peter’s legacy is carried on through the Peter Tyszko Foundation, whose mission is to facilitate joyful memories for every child fighting cancer.