Good evening.
SEPTEMBER, to many it is just another month - but to those who have a child with cancer or for TOO many of US who have lost a child/young adult to this monster. We know this month as:
CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Below are some facts: Sadly we have been relaying these exact same facts now for years. Wouldn't you think that with all the research out there - these numbers would be changing...... they have not for the many with Osteosarcoma or the many other sarcomas - because these cancers receive only 1% of any money raised.
Heartbreaking isn't it!
The Facts:
- chances are about 1 in 300 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20
- Every day 46 children are diagnosed with cancer
- 1 in 4 of these children will die within 5 years
- 2 in 4 will survive 5 years but develop long-term, life-altering and threatening health problems
- Only 1 in 4 will survive 5 years without major problems
- There are no warning signs or unhealthy lifestyles. No regard to race, creed, color, religion, or socio-economic status.
-Most childhood cancers, like Osteo, are still being treated with 25 - 30 yr old treatments with nothing changed in their treatment chemos.
- 3% of all money raised for cancer goes to childhood cancers.
Despite these facts, childhood cancer is considered "rare". Yet, does two classrooms of children diagnosed with cancer every school day, with one-half of a classroom dying from cancer, sound "rare"? It’s “rare” only if it’s not happening to your child. But for over 12,500 children and families in America this year, it will not be "rare". Each will discover the desperate need for increased funding specifically for kid cancer research, while enduring the most devastating experience of their lives.
When many people hear childhood cancer, they may only think of St. Jude and TV ads with cancer kids with round faces (from steroids) and bald heads (from chemo). Yet while it is a leading childhood cancer research center, St. Jude doesn't work exclusively on cancer research and treats less than 5% of all children with cancer. Or perhaps you think of the American Cancer Society and its support for childhood cancer? Unfortunately, in 2008, with $1,078 million of public support; the ACS gave only $4.2 million to childhood cancer research, less than 1/2 a penny for each dollar of support.
Nearly 90 percent of cancer kids are treated by members of the Children's Oncology Group (COG), an international consortium of over 230 hospitals and doctors working together and cooperatively sharing results. This cooperative research allows COG to improve cure rates at a faster pace than any single institution could accomplish alone.
As a nation, shouldn't we prioritize saving our children? The facts on funding suggest we don't. So your help is needed. No child should ever have to ask, "Mom and Dad, what's hospice?"
Please help us cure childhood cancer:
Well, today is September 30th, the end of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. So, how many of you heard anything about it this past month? Yeah, I didn't hear anything, either. My Facebook is full of gold ribbons; those people get it! They are parents of children with cancer. There are pink ribbons all over everywhere! On cat food, cat litter, salt and pepper shakers, water bottles, coffee cups, etc. EVERYWHERE!!! I don't remember seeing even ONE gold ribbon! The sad thing is, the pink ribbons all stand for support for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Well, a little known fact of SGKF is that not all of the money they raise goes to breast cancer research. They spend millions of dollars a year on lawsuits! They sue anybody and everybody who uses the phrase "for the cure" (or any facsimile) in their fund raising. I will post a link to the report of what they do. I wish they would give the money that they waste on lawsuits to Childhood Cancer research!! It makes me so angry. I wonder if all the people who think they are supporting breast cancer research really know where their money is going. Yes, I am bitter about this. Our children need help! Our children need a cure! WAY more children die every day from childhood cancer than women. It is the 46/7 rule for kids. 46 children are diagnosed with cancer EVERY DAY, and 7 children die from cancerEVERY DAY! It has GOT to change!! I, for one, refuse to buy anything with a pink ribbon on it. And my favorite color is pink!! Sorry, I will get of my soapbox.
Here is a link reporting the activities of SGKF:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/komen-foundation-charities-cure_n_793176.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
I can't believe this year is so close to being over. It is just screaming by! Our weather is definitely turning to fall!! I love it! All the trees are changing and it is gorgeous! Fall is my favorite season. the only bad part is my allergies are the worst in the fall! So we are living on Sudafed and Allegra (in generic form). Can't wait for the first freeze to kill all the stuff I am allergic to! Bryon and Jennifer are suffering, too. David is a little bit, but I have him pretty drugged up, too.
Thanks for visiting and checking up on David and the Koury Klan. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
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