Cancer survivor writes children's book to explain MRI procedures for others

Kathy Borlik
·4 min read
Jennifer Hanichak Farrell recently wrote “Spaceship to the Center of My Brain,” a children’s book about getting an MRI test.
Jennifer Hanichak Farrell recently wrote “Spaceship to the Center of My Brain,” a children’s book about getting an MRI test.

Jennifer Hanichak Farrell is a teacher. She is not in the classroom any longer, but that isn’t stopping her much. She is teaching lessons on bravery through a new children’s book, “Spaceship to the Center of My Brain.”

The heroine of the story is Danielle. The writer and character share a lot of qualities. Both are fun and imaginative. Jennifer wanted to be an astronaut, and so does her counterpart.

Jennifer said she wasn’t into the “princess thing.” Astronaut, that was the way to go.

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The book follows Danielle’s MRI test and her imagination. Jennifer said she had the idea for the book for several years. During COVID, it seemed like a good time to do the work. She wrote, had Facetime with retired teacher/editor/aunt Kay Porr and discussions with her illustrator, Patty Reddy.

The result is a thoughtful approach to something that can be scary. “The book is for children, parents and doctors,” she said. A book that explains what is next for a child.

The book is available on Amazon.

In Jennifer’s teen years, she suffered from headaches. Before that, she was a healthy cheerleader, a good student and taking taekwondo lessons. Right after the end of her sophomore year at St. Joseph High School, this all started. That was 1994.  Doctors’ visits and medication for migraines didn’t help. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) found a tumor.

In the book, Danielle is in elementary school and is experiencing headaches. Then it is time for her MRI.

Jennifer said the MRI was reimagined as a spaceship. In a way, it was her astronaut job dream. Danielle’s dream, too.

Jennifer Hanichak Farrell's “Spaceship to the Center of my Brain” shares the lesson of bravery and is based on her experience of being diagnosed with brain cancer as a teenager.
Jennifer Hanichak Farrell's “Spaceship to the Center of my Brain” shares the lesson of bravery and is based on her experience of being diagnosed with brain cancer as a teenager.

Between 1994 and today, Jennifer’s life has been full of ups and downs. Surgeries, continuing her education at St. Joe and Saint Mary’s College, marriage to Brian Farrell, the birth of their son, Brady; teaching first grade in Catholic schools and more surgeries.

“I’m here today because my mom persisted about getting an MRI,” she said. She estimates that she has had more than 100 MRIs since.

Mom is Terri Hanichak. Dad is Dave. The Hanichaks live in Edwardsburg. Terri played a part in getting the book put together. Through connections, she found artist and fellow Edwardsburgian Patty Reddy to illustrate it.

Are you a super mom? Able to jump buildings with a single bound? No, Terri said, not at all. Totally don’t believe that.

But back to Jennifer. After the MRI in 1994, the local neurosurgeon said he had never removed a tumor from that location at the base of the brain. Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York was the next stop at the Brain Tumor Center.

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Dr. Jeffrey Bruce in New York and the rest of the team have become a trusted friend of the family. “Dr. Bruce said 98% of the tumor was removed,” Jennifer said. All this was positive.

A steady stream of St. Joe cheerleaders and friends, such as Kerri Hessey and Diane Keller, kept the family company in New York. They flew in to keep the healing process moving in the right direction.

Once home, she had a tutor for a semester and then returned to high school. She graduated from high school and received a degree in education from Saint Mary’s. In 2002, she was preparing to get married. A regular checkup and an MRI showed a small mass in her brain.

This time, the treatment was with gamma knife radiation with Dr. Bruce and Dr. Steven Isaacson back in New York.

Indianapolis was closer for the radiation treatment, but that was out of the question, according to Jennifer.

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Jennifer and Brian were married a few months later, and son Brady was born in 2006. She taught for 19 years, but the effects of radiation and surgery caused short term memory loss. She decided to leave teaching.

After all this, what keeps you positive? Jennifer attributes a strong family, supportive friends and her faith. Her son and husband have been rocks. Her parents, her NYC doctors and local radiologist Dr. Michael McCrea are treasured.What is next? “I think there will be several books to explain what happens next,” she said. There is more to share and teach.

You can reach Kathy at kfborlik@yahoo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Teacher's teen experiences with cancer and MRIs inspire children's book