I just took the survery. The "Facts" below are too sad.....=(
From:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9mf%2buPwkhAtSxfneQUjTQw%3d%3d
September 2010 Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Surveyhttp://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/
2. Thank you for participating in the Inaugural PAC2 September Childhood Cancer Awareness Survery!
Thank you for taking the survey. Sadly, all of #9 is true...
The Facts:
- chances are about 1 in 300 any child will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20
- Every day 40 to 50 children are diagnosed with cancer
- 1 in 4 of these children will die within 5 years
- 2 in 4 will survive 5 years but develop long-term, life-altering and threatening health problems
- Only 1 in 4 will survive 5 years without major problems
- There are no warning signs or unhealthy lifestyles. No regard to race, creed, color, religion, or socio-economic status.
Despite these facts, childhood cancer is considered "rare". Yet, does two classrooms of children diagnosed with cancer every school day, with one-half of a classroom dying from cancer, sound "rare"? It’s “rare” only if it’s not happening to your child. But for over 12,500 children and families in America this year, it will not be "rare". Each will discover the desperate need for increased funding specifically for kid cancer research, while enduring the most devastating experience of their lives.
When many people hear childhood cancer, they may only think of St. Jude and TV ads with cancer kids with round faces (from steroids) and bald heads (from chemo). Yet while it is a leading childhood cancer research center, St. Jude doesn't work exclusively on cancer research and treats less than 5% of all children with cancer. Or perhaps you think of the American Cancer Society and its support for childhood cancer? Unfortunately, in 2008, with $1,078 million of public support; the ACS gave only $4.2 million to childhood cancer research, less than 1/2 a penny for each dollar of support.
Nearly 90 percent of cancer kids are treated by members of the Children's Oncology Group (COG), an international consortium of over 230 hospitals and doctors working together and cooperatively sharing results. This cooperative research allows COG to improve cure rates at a faster pace than any single institution could accomplish alone.
As a nation, shouldn't we prioritize saving our children? The facts on funding suggest we don't. So your help is needed. No child should ever have to ask, "Mom and Dad, what's hospice?"
Please help us cure childhood cancer:
1 - Share this survey with family, friends, teachers, co-workers, sports teams, scouts, PTA, etc
2 - Sign & support the Cure Childhood Cancer: Raise Awareness & Funding petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer
3 - Join PAC2 (http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com), a childhood cancer advocacy community to learn more about these issues and ways to help
4 - Donate to organizations specifically devoted to funding childhood cancer research at COG hospitals:
St. Baldricks Foundation
(http://www.stbaldricks.org)
St. Baldrick's uses donations to volunteers who shave their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer to fund more childhood cancer research than any organization except the US Government.
CureSearch for Childhood Cancer
(http://www.curesearch.org)
CureSearch supports the Children’s Oncology Group, the world’s premiere pediatric cancer research collaborative that treats more than 90% of all children with cancer.
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
(https://www.alexslemonade.org)
Alex’s Lemonade shares the vision of its founder and creator, Alex Scott, who at age 4 began selling lemonade to fund research into a cure for all children with cancer.
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research
(http://www.rallyfoundation.org)
Through volunteers participating in athletic events, Rally raises awareness and funds for childhood cancer research.
On behalf of the 46 kids diagnosed with cancer today, thank you. We hope the day comes soon when we can say: It's not "rare", it's EXTINCT!
