Edmonton author writes children’s book on cancer [Video]

An Edmonton mother is sharing her experience about coping with her daughter’s battle with cancer through a children’s book.

Memphis Can Teach Her Mom New Tricks, written by Kimberly Hlewka, tells the story about a puppy named Memphis who becomes sick – a story which parallels her own daughter’s experience with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer.

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Samantha, Hlewka’s eight-year-old daughter, was diagnosed with the rare cancer in June 2021 when she was only five.

According to Hlewka, Samantha started complaining about stomach pains in November 2020. In June 2021, she was rushed to the Stollery Children’s Hospital where scans revealed that her intestines were infected and emergency surgery was needed.

“When you hear the word ‘cancer,’ the first place I went was, ‘I’m going to lose my little girl,'” Hlewka said. “There …