National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

As many of you know, September represents National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. As we commemorate the month, we will remember all the children who have lost their lives to the disease, think about all the children who will face life-long side effects from their treatments, rally behind all the children who are still actively fighting the disease, and continue our work to ensure that future generations will never have to battle childhood cancer.

This year alone in the United States over 12,000 children will be diagnosed with childhood cancer and nearly 3,000 of them will not survive. That number represents 3,000 children who will never experience the normal every day joys of life – going to school, hanging out with their friends, or simply being given the opportunity to grow up. Of those 12,000 children diagnosed, none of their lives will ever return to the “normal” that some of us take for granted. These facts are saddening, if children are the future of this country and the world – shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to live long and productive lives?

As we enter September, let’s all take a moment to reflect on the battles we have faced throughout our own lifetime. These battles have no doubt been difficult and challenging, and some of us may have even battled our own cancers. If that is the case, we know what it is like to go through treatments and navigate through the uncertainly or to see our loved ones do the same. Can you imagine feeling that way as a child?

We hope that everyone will take a few moments to spread the word about just how many children in the United States are affected by cancer.  I hope that you will share this with your family members, friends, colleagues and even strangers as we work this month to raise awareness of the disease as well as funds to find the cures that all of these children deserve. Septembers profits will all be sent to The Children's Cancer Fund Of America (www.ccfoa.org).