September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge children and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, to raise awareness, and to emphasize the importance of research.
As many of you may know, I volunteer as a photographer and serve as the Co-Director of the Charlotte Chapter of Flashes of Hope at Levine Cancer Institute. Childhood cancer awareness is also near and dear to my heart because KC, my husband, was diagnosed in 2015 with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer.
To raise awareness of childhood cancer, I would like to share with you some of the information I have learned. Childhood cancer is most commonly caused by cancer-causing genetic changes that occur by chance. Adult cancer on the other hand is linked to lifestyle and environmental factors.
Cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the United States, with over a dozen types and hundreds of different subtypes. The most common type of childhood cancer is leukemia, a type of blood cancer. One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the United States will not survive, with 99% of childhood cancer survivors experiencing a chronic health problem and 96% having severe or life-threatening conditions, with many developing a secondary cancer.
The treatment a child receives depends on the type of cancer. These range from surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, with some children receiving more than one type of treatment. The length of treatment may range from several months to even years. After treatment is complete, patients continue with follow-up care, sometimes lasting for many years.
Approximately, only 4% of the billions of dollars spent annually on cancer research is directed towards treating childhood cancer. If you are in a position to support this type of research, please, donate at https://flashesofhope.org/chapters/charlotte
What thoughts do you have on childhood cancer? Please, share.
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