September is Coming and So is the CureSearch Walk. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Support CureSearch and Help Save Lives of Children witth Cancer

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.  Childhood cancer takes the lives of more children than any other disease in the U.S.  More than 13,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and nearly 25% of children diagnosed with cancer will die within 5 years of the diagnosis.  Three out five childhood cancer survivors suffer from long-term side effects.  The number of children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year puts more potential years of life at risk than any single type of cancer.   The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children and to help raise funds for research and family support. 

  Children with cancer cannot be treated simply as "smaller adults." First, the cancers that strike them are very different from the more common adult cancers, having different causes and needing different treatments. Also, children are being treated while in crucial stages of the development of their bodies and minds, complicating the effects of treatments and often resulting in life-long complications. 

 Federal funding for childhood cancer research is predominantly allocated through the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  Each year, Congress approves the amount of money that the National Institute of Health will receive for research initiatives.  Cancer will be funded in 2012 at $5.4 billion.  In 2010, the NCI reported funding for childhood cancer research was approximately $197 million.  However, this estimate could be regarded as liberal as some of the associated research may not be perceived as directly benefiting childhood cancer.  Other more conservative estimates put federal childhood cancer research funding as low as $30 million annually. 

 To put this into perspective, the NCI allocated $631 million on breast cancer research in 2010.  Other NIH Institutes funded breast cancer at a level of $133 million; and the Department of Defense, which also supports breast cancer research allocated an additional $150 million.  As a comparison, breast cancer with its overall survival rate of close to 90% and average age of diagnosis of 61 received $914 million in Federal research funding in 2010.  This was in addition to the funds raised by breast cancer organizations through their pink ribbon campaigns and private donations.  It is estimated that the success of these campaigns raises approximately $256 million annually in the combined assets of the top four breast cancer organizations.  The success of the pink ribbon campaign and its resulting funding for breast cancer research has resulted in an increase in the 5 year survival rate of that patient population.  Their strength as advocates has resulted in a strong position for both federal and private research funding. 

 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  It is a time to increase the awareness of the incidence and devastation of this disease on America’s children.  By raising awareness of the fact that childhood cancer remains the number one disease killer of America’s children, we can raise the awareness of the need for greater research funding.  Like breast cancer, childhood cancer has an international symbol, the gold ribbon.  Proudly wear a gold ribbon and help increase childhood cancer awareness and support.  Help make the Childhood Cancer Awareness Gold Ribbon, the new Pink!

 In addition to wearing a Gold Ribbon in September, consider participating in the upcoming Toledo CureSearch Walk for Children’s Cancer on Sept 8^th, 2012.  Funds raised from the CureSearch walk will directly benefit children’s cancer research.  Brody has formed a team for the Toledo CureSearch Walk.    Brody was diagnosed in March of 2010 with rhabdomyosarcoma (a relatively rare form of cancer but much more common in children than adults).  He was treated for about year with a combination of chemo, multiple surgeries and radiation treatments.  He enjoyed a year of remission from the disease.  Unfortunately, the cancer has recurred.  We received this devastating news on April 30^th, 2012.  Recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma has an extremely poor prognosis.  The five year survival for children with recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma is less than 5-10%.  More than 50% of children with recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma will succumb to the disease within less than a year.  Brody would not be here with us today without the research efforts of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG). The COG is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research.  Today, more than 90% of the 13,500 children diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States are cared for at Children’s Oncology Group member institutions.  The COG has nearly 100 active clinical trials open at any given time.  These trials include front-line treatment for many types of childhood cancers, studies aimed at determining the underlying biology of these disease, and trials involving new and emerging treatments, supportive care, and survivorship.   The COG receives funding from the NCI, private donations and organizations such as CureSearch for Children’s Cancer.  Brody would love to have your support at the Toledo CureSearch Walk this year.  We have detailed information on the upcoming Toledo CureSearch Walk in a previous blog post.  Please see it for more details concerning the Toledo CureSearch Walk.  Every donation to CureSearch helps.  Even if you do not live in the Toledo area you can still help support Team Brodinator and Toledo CureSearch walk.  It’s a great cause.  Together we can all make a big impact. 

Sources: www.Childcancer.org and www.candlelighters.org and www.children’soncologygroup.org