I used to be just like you. Yes, you. Reading a blog like this one, or a Facebook page about a child going through cancer treatments. I'd read what the child was going through and shed a tear or two. Feel a little bit of inspiration to do some good. Then my everyday life would creep back in and I'd forget about them. I might have shared their blog or their Facebook page to other people but I never really did anything. I certainly never bothered to educate myself about childhood cancer. Why would I do that? It's never going to affect me. Until the day that it did.
Never, ever did I think I would hear someone tell me that my child has cancer. But they did. And I was totally clueless about everything. I didn't know that almost all the medicine given to children to treat cancer is actually meant for adult cancers. Why do they use it then? Because there are no other options. Only 2 chemotherapy drugs in the last 20 years have been developed specifically for children. Why is that you might ask? There's no incentive for drug companies to develop drugs for children. It's not profitable. How disgusting is that. There is also not enough money dedicated to childhood cancer research to help develop chemo specifically for children.
What's the harm in using chemo meant for adults? A lot actually. Because the chemo is meant for adult bodies, it does a lot of damage to a child. It can cause everything from infertility, hearing loss, heart problems, muscular difficulties, and the possibility of secondary cancers. How is this okay?
Today at the CureSearch Walk, the host talked about how she asked one of the head pediatric oncologists why there wasn't specific chemo medicine for kids. Couldn't they make it? He responded with "It's because children don't vote." Children don't vote because they can't. They are depending on us as adults and we have failed them. Over and over again.
I invite you to read these pages: http://www.acco.org/information/aboutchildhoodcancer/childhoodcancerstatistics.aspx
http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/forum/topics/nci-funding-more-lies-damn
Or better yet, google childhood cancer funding statistics and read from several different sources how we are failing our children.
It's time to take action. Right now. Not after your child is diagnosed. Don't be like me. Don't wait until it affects you. Learn all you can now. Make a difference. Stand up for your children, your nieces & nephews, & your grandchildren. Help raise money for an organization that funds childhood cancer research. It doesn't have to be CureSearch, just make sure the organization you do choose is specifically for children. They need all the funding for research they can get.
Write to your representatives and congressmen in Washington, DC and demand more funding be put in place for childhood cancer research. Make a difference.
It's Childhood Cancer Awareness month and I've never been more aware in my life. I'm aware every day that Ambrosia isn't here. I'm aware that just today 36 children will be diagnosed with cancer. 1 out of 5 of those children will not survive. 3 out of 5 of them will experience long term affects from the very treatment that "saves" their life.
Don't wait. ACT now. So that God forbid if you ever hear the words "Your child has cancer" they are followed with "and there is a cure".
More childhood cancer facts & statistics: http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/page/facts-1
Never, ever did I think I would hear someone tell me that my child has cancer. But they did. And I was totally clueless about everything. I didn't know that almost all the medicine given to children to treat cancer is actually meant for adult cancers. Why do they use it then? Because there are no other options. Only 2 chemotherapy drugs in the last 20 years have been developed specifically for children. Why is that you might ask? There's no incentive for drug companies to develop drugs for children. It's not profitable. How disgusting is that. There is also not enough money dedicated to childhood cancer research to help develop chemo specifically for children.
What's the harm in using chemo meant for adults? A lot actually. Because the chemo is meant for adult bodies, it does a lot of damage to a child. It can cause everything from infertility, hearing loss, heart problems, muscular difficulties, and the possibility of secondary cancers. How is this okay?
Today at the CureSearch Walk, the host talked about how she asked one of the head pediatric oncologists why there wasn't specific chemo medicine for kids. Couldn't they make it? He responded with "It's because children don't vote." Children don't vote because they can't. They are depending on us as adults and we have failed them. Over and over again.
I invite you to read these pages: http://www.acco.org/information/aboutchildhoodcancer/childhoodcancerstatistics.aspx
http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/forum/topics/nci-funding-more-lies-damn
Or better yet, google childhood cancer funding statistics and read from several different sources how we are failing our children.
It's time to take action. Right now. Not after your child is diagnosed. Don't be like me. Don't wait until it affects you. Learn all you can now. Make a difference. Stand up for your children, your nieces & nephews, & your grandchildren. Help raise money for an organization that funds childhood cancer research. It doesn't have to be CureSearch, just make sure the organization you do choose is specifically for children. They need all the funding for research they can get.
Write to your representatives and congressmen in Washington, DC and demand more funding be put in place for childhood cancer research. Make a difference.
It's Childhood Cancer Awareness month and I've never been more aware in my life. I'm aware every day that Ambrosia isn't here. I'm aware that just today 36 children will be diagnosed with cancer. 1 out of 5 of those children will not survive. 3 out of 5 of them will experience long term affects from the very treatment that "saves" their life.
Don't wait. ACT now. So that God forbid if you ever hear the words "Your child has cancer" they are followed with "and there is a cure".
More childhood cancer facts & statistics: http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/page/facts-1
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