Childhood Cancer Awareness Month requires attention and action

September is back-to-school season, and also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Needless to say, it is a serious and somber issue, as sad and daunting a health challenge as there is today. Fortunately, this September, many groups — research facilities, charities, churches and concerned families and citizens everywhere are joining forces to fight childhood cancers.

           

Their efforts will extend from outreach to those families who have a child stricken with the disease, and include everything from survivorship issues to the special care needed for the child undergoing treatment. And, most important of all, funding for research to find the cure will be front and center.

The efforts to fight this battle are numerous. Early detection is a must, so regular checkups and physicals for a child should always be on the calendar. With the advent of any questionable symptom — nosebleeds, unexplained fatigue, pain — consult a doctor at once. The survivor rates for cancer victims who have their condition caught early is many times greater than anyone who is found in the late stages of the disease.

           

Cancer, of course, attacks on an emotional level too. And it is especially hard on children. They are often confused, bewildered and scared. Their busy and active lives are curtailed, often without them understanding why. It is important for any child stricken with cancer to get the emotional support and counseling she or he will need. The American Childhood Cancer Organization offers books, play kits and stuffed animal kits on their website, as well as online guidance on how to best support a child coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This September many other groups will be sponsoring events, support groups, distributing literature. See if you know of anyone who could use the help, and point them to the right resources.

           

Something we can all do during this month is Go Gold and show our support for victims of childhood cancer. The gold (or yellow) ribbon should be sported by anyone and everyone; and if someone asks why you’re wearing it, you’ve created a great opportunity to enlighten another person about the issue at hand!

           

And for those whose lives have been touched intimately by the disease, there are Founding Hope Funds. Essentially these are personalized non-profit fundraising platforms, often in name commemoration of a fallen child. They are tremendous grass-root opportunities to raise both awareness and always needed research and treatment dollars.

Anything to do with our children’s health needs, and deserves, all our attention. So make sure this September you play your part in the fight against childhood cancer.