Raising Awareness Month: Pediatric Cancer Awareness
I love what the ice bucket challenge did. I love that it brought so much awareness to a disease that has brought so much heartache to so many people. I did the challenge, but here is my challenge to all of you. Choose a disease or disorder every month to learn more about and even potentially donate to for the next year. If we all chose to do this, I think we would be a lot more aware and hopefully financially we as a whole could propel medicine and research along faster.
We live in a world that is full of brokenness, hurt, and trials. 1 in 285 children before the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer (1). While less children than adults are diagnosed with cancer on average a child loses 71 years of life compared to an adult who loses 17 years of life (1). Worldwide on average each day 720 children are diagnosed with cancer and 250 die from cancer EACH day (2). In the U.S. childhood cancers is the leading cause of death by disease in those under the age of 15.. the LEADING cause (2). The average age of death for those kids who do die of cancer is EIGHT years old (3). And for those 80% that do survive, 2/3 of them will have chronic conditions related to treatment as a result (2). Chemo sucks. I know I give it 5 days a week and I help patients manage through symptoms 5 days a week.
So friends, let us ban together to help fund research. To help fund support for these children going through treatment. To help find better treatments that cause less side effects and work even better. Let’s work together to find treatment so less kids are doing early. Let’s fight for these kids and their parents. Let’s be aware of what far too many little ones and their families are dealing with on a daily basis. Because it isn’t just about survival statistics, but it is about quality of life and longevity after the 5 year survival mark. Together we can make a difference. Together we can help take back some of those years being lost by a war against cancer
Resources:
1. http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/page/facts-1
2. http://www.alexslemonade.org/childhood-cancer-facts
3. http://www.kidsvcancer.org/facts/