Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

For families living through childhood cancer, September is much more than the first month of fall. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, this month becomes increasingly more important in the fight for a cure and to raise awareness about the struggle families experience  in the childhood cancer world.

If you are a family living through childhood cancer, you know the statistics. More than that, you intimately know the need to shine a light on childhood cancer in order to get closer to a cure.

As this month begins, people may be reaching out to ask, “How can I help raise awareness?” We want to help take another “to do” off your plate. Over the next several weeks, we will be sharing information and stories designed for you to be able to share with your community about raising awareness.

In order to become an advocate for the people you love walking through childhood cancer, you have to know the facts. The best place to start is to talk about the statistics.

Now You Know*:

• 43 children and adolescents per day are diagnosed with childhood cancer 

• About 1 in 285 children will develop cancer before the age of 20 

• The average age at diagnosis is 8 years old 

• Childhood cancer is not one disease—there are more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes 

• More than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a significant health related issue by the time they are 45 years old—as a side effects of their treatment 

• The average cost  of childhood cancer  for a family  in 2018 was $833,000 

• One in four families lose 40% of their annual household income as a result of childhood cancer treatment 

• Annually, childhood cancer receives less than 4% of research funding

• Childhood cancer is number one cause of death by disease in children 

 This is why September is so important. We must raise the level of awareness of the impact of childhood cancer  on a family. The amount of research funding dedicated to this disease is unacceptable.

More awareness leads to more fundraising. More fundraising leads to more research. More research leads to a cure.

Our families need support from their communities. Join us this month as we focus on raising awareness and support for our families. 

You have an answer the next time someone asks you, “What’s the significance of all the gold ribbons?”

Go Gold for September! 

*data collected from Coalition Against Childhood Cancer website