Monday, September 10, 2007

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month



** Added video on Thursday, September 13, 2007 **

Have I mentioned lately that I hate cancer... well I do, especially in children.


K
ids Get Cancer Too!

Cancer in children is more common that most people realize. Childhood cancers behave very differently than adult cancers and the survival statistics are not as promising. Furthermore, the incidence of childhood cancer seems to be increasing. Please join us in increasing awareness of childhood cancer facts and statistics.
  • Cancer is the number one killer of children by disease. It is the second leading cause of all childhood deaths exceeded only by accidents.
  • One in 330 children will develop cancer before the age of 20.
  • On average, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the United States.
  • Approximately 12,400 children were diagnosed with cancer in the year 2000.
  • Each year, about 3,000 children die from cancer - more than from asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined.
  • Only about 20% of adults with cancer show evidence that the disease has spread to distant sites on the body at diagnosis yet 80% of children are diagnosed with advanced disease.
  • In the past 20 years only one new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use.
  • Only 3 % of the budget from the National Cancer Institute goes towards Pediatric Cancer research. (That's 3 % for ALL kinds of Pediatric Cancers combined!)
  • The incidence of childhood cancer is increasing. The cause of this is unknown.
  • Pediatric cancer funding is nominal in comparison to other more publicized diseases such as pediatric AIDS or juvenile diabetes which increases awareness each year.
  • Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and exposure to cancer-causing agents. The cause of most childhood cancers in unknown.
  • Approximately 70% of children with cancer participate in research trials compared to only 3% of adult cancer patients. As a result, many of the advances in adult cancer treatments are due to breakthroughs in childhood cancer research.
  • The government recently CUT the budget for Childhood Cancer research.
  • As a nation, we spend $14 BILLION per year on the space program, but only $35 MILLION on childhood cancer research per year.
  • The symbol for childhood cancer is the gold ribbon.
How You Can Help:
  • Wear a gold ribbon.
  • Have a car wash, garage sale, bake sale or any special event and donate the proceeds to the childhood cancer organization of your choice.
  • Go through old video tapes, DVDs and CDs to donate to your local Children's Hospital
  • Become a Partner in Hope with St. Jude. The money goes to research. www.stjude.org
  • Get involved with or donate to Habitat For Hope. This organization houses families and does things with and for families. www.habitatforhope.org
  • Donate to Caringbridge to help this organization to help families communicate.
  • Ask your Student Council or PTO for help in getting your (or your child's) school involved.
  • Get your church youth groups involved.
  • Host an Alex's Lemonade Stand.
  • Educate youth by having them donate their allowance earned for the month of September.
  • Participate in Locks of Love.
  • Donate blood and or platelets.
  • Join the National Bone Marrow Registry.
  • Support the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. Click on this link to find out more and then write to your senators and congressmen.
  • Organize a drive for Kids Cancer Crusade.
  • Copy, post and circulate this information.
Support the kids that are fighting cancer by leaving them messages on their pages and remembering them in your prayers. Pray, Pray and Pray.

This is a powerful video that shows SOME of what our kids with cancer go through. The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGS4yE5v9rM

September 24th is Chili's 100% proceeds go to St Jude's day. EAT AT CHILIS SEPT 24TH. even takeout. St. Jude does so much research and also shares it with institutions around the world.

For insight, humor and raw emotion, visit some very special children and check out their stories:

Jake Raborn* and Jake's Foundation
Jacob Duckworth* and Jacob's Family
Ethan Powell
Cheers for Amanda
Spencer Boyer*
Matthew Dubac*
Allen Smith
Kendrie Escoe
Julianna Banana (not updated recently as she is in remission but some great stuff here if you can find the time to go through it... her dad wrote almost every entry from his daughter's perspective)
Big Ben Bowen* (click on updates on the left hand sidebar)

Names with *asterisks* indicate those children who have lost their earthly battle with cancer. These are only a few of thousands of children who fight or have fought the battle of their lives with this horrid disease.

If you are in a position to give, please do so... there is no better cause than one which works towards saving our children.

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