Go Gold

For the kids, for the cure, for the whole month.

September signifies the end of summer and the return to routines for most families. September is also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and, as you can likely imagine, it means something completely different for those families who have dealt with the severe realities of having a child with cancer.

Awareness for a cause is one thing, but, as it stands now, if you didn’t know that September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, you’re not alone.

“Like other forms of cancer, childhood cancer has an international symbol, the gold ribbon. This is an easily recognizable symbol to unite under, if people know what it means,” according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization website. “Sadly, when asked, most people would not be able to identify the gold ribbon as the symbol for childhood cancer awareness.”

Children have much better survival rates when cancer is detected early. They need regular doctor visits and checkups to catch any new developments. Often, in the beginning stages, cancer will appear like an injury or illness. Childhood cancers include bone and brain cancers, leukemias, hepatoblastoma, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdoid tumors, sarcomas and Wilms tumor.

“Although the overall incidence rate of cancer in children has increased 0.6 percent annually over the past 35 years, mortality rates for some types of childhood cancer have declined by more than 50 percent,” according to cancer.gov

By The Numbers

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 4 percent of government funding is put toward fighting childhood cancer. Though pharmaceutical companies contribute about 60 percent of the funding for adult cancer medications, that’s not the case for childhood cancer medications, according to St. Baldrick’s Foundation in California. Let’s take a look at the 2014 statistics according to the NIH and ACCO:

15,780 children and teens between the ages of 0 and 19 are diagnosed with cancer each year. That’s approximately 44 each day.

How To Help

The best way to make an impact is through funding and awareness. As more people become aware of the need, they can then donate and support the cause. And beyond donating, you can also host your own fundraiser or awareness event. Just like October turns pink for breast cancer, childhood cancer organizations are calling for the public to turn September gold. Want to get involved? The organizations below offer several opportunities and ideas.

G9 is a non-profit organization that stands for Gold In September. This 501(c)(3) supports all children su ering from all cancers all over the world and works to turn the whole world gold each September. G9 directly funds early phase trials to help bring kids the best treatments available. Although its yearly fundraiser celebration takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, you can support their work and learn more on goldinseptember.com.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital holds walk and run events all over the country to raise money for a cure. Raise money to walk in Orlando or Tampa on September 24. Visit stjude.org to sign up or donate.

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) supports research for a cure, along with families, the spread of awareness and the provision of information. It’s one of the largest grassroots organizations for childhood cancer, and it o ers many resources for those dealing with the disease or supporting its cure. Learn more at acco.org

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was founded by a young girl named Alex. She fought neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer, and at 4 years old, she wanted to start a lemonade stand to raise money for “her hospital.” She was so grateful to her doctors for what they had done for her that she wanted other children fighting cancer to be able to get the same care. Before she died at 8 years old, she had raised more than $1 million to help find a cure. Join the e ort, hold your own lemonade stand and learn more at alexslemonade.org

Children’s Cancer Research Fund also provides several direct ways to help. This fund gained the support of a young girl who battled cancer. She wanted her own saved money to go toward it to help other children win their own cancer battles. Learn more about how you can help on childrenscancer.org

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