September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
I look at every day as Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. In 1997, parents who were brought together started discussing the creation of a universal awareness ribbon for children with cancer. Many colors were considered, but after much thought, it was decided that the color gold was the perfect choice for our cause. Gold is a precious metal, and our children are precious. We must continue to fight this monster together.
- Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children – more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
- Childhood cancer is not a single disease, but rather many different types that fall into 12 major categories. Common adult cancers are extremely rare in children, yet many cancers are almost exclusively found in children.
- Childhood Cancers are cancers that primarily affect children, teens, and young adults. When cancer strikes children and young adults it affects them differently than it would an adult.
- Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis).
- Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
- The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
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- One in every 330 Americans will develop cancer by the age of 20. On the average, 12,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
- On the average, 1 in every 4 elementary school has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are a current or former cancer patient. In the U.S., about 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every weekday.
- 47 Children are told every day they have cancer, and 7 will die.
- Several childhood cancers continue to have a very poor prognosis, including: brain stem tumors, metastatic sarcomas, relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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Why do I fight? I fight so other parents don’t have to tell their babies they have cancer! I fight so other parents don’t have to watch their children take their last breath! I fight for Eli to carry out his wishes to find a cure.
THIS IS WHY I FIGHT!!!! PLEASE HELP OUR FOUNDATION.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/video/7373981-elis-story/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFR7xQZ5jGk
bELIeve
I'm Paul the father of the bravest person I'll ever know in my life time. Eli was my true "HERO" in life, and as long as I walk the face of this earth I will fight in Eli's memory for a cure for childhood Leukemia.
