September is officially deemed ‘Childhood Cancer Awareness Month’. Unfortunately for those of us living with childhood cancer it is a lifelong fight for awareness and not just 30 days. Breast Cancer Month is in October and you will start to notice the color pink everywhere and many companies will be showing their support with monetary donations to breast cancer funds when you purchase their products. The breast cancer folks run a fabulously successful campaign and I think everyone now associates the color pink with breast cancer. And please don't get me wrong, I think that is wonderful as my own mother has battled breast cancer.
However, gold is our children's color. The best character color in my opinion. It stands for quality and excellence and being second to none. EVERY CHILD with cancer exhibits these characteristics and children above all else should have our attention, our concerns and our promise. They are our future, our inspirations, our hopes and dreams, our daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. We owe them our best and we have to commit to finding a better quality of treatment, less invasive and toxic treatments and ultimately a way to stop these mutant cells from continuing to grow out of control and taking lives. I am going to take a guess that at least 85% of the people reading this had no idea that September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Well, now you know. Welcome to the party!
I do hope this grassroots movement continues to pick up momentum and September will be filled with gold ribbons and bald headed little kids asking for your help. The color gold will decorate Oreo bags, Barbie packages, diaper packaging and all sorts of other products. Millions of dollars will be raised and significant improvements will occur on all fronts. Awareness. Having knowledge of how widespread pediatric cancer is and how little funding it receives on the federal level and on the commercial level is crucial.
I know childhood cancer is not pretty. It’s heartbreaking and sad but we need to get over that and look the beast in the eye and make a commitment to help these kids. I am usually not a soapbox kind of guy but this is personal and on occasion I need to drag that box out and take to the airwaves. If you can, please make a little change for the next 30 days. I am sure you agree that we all use email every day. Please add this line after your signature "September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month." It’s the small steps that turn into large steps that turn into change. Just getting the word out and making people think, even just for a moment, about kids having cancer, is effective. If you have a blog, could you mention that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? If you Tweet on Twitter, tell your followers that it’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Face bookers, tell your friends.
Spread the word.
