Welcome September...and welcome National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!
As crazy as this month is sure to be, I have actually been looking forward to September. I look forward to sharing more of our little William's courageous battle with Neuroblastoma, how our family has dealt with his illness, sharing the ways our lives have changed forever more and our experience as living 'life after cancer.' Please join me as I share information about Neuroblastoma, share stories of our inspiring pediatric cancer warrior families, provide information about other childhood cancers and share ways YOU can make a difference in the future of pediatric cancer.
I have to admit, when William was first admitted to Golisano Children's Hospital on December 4th, 2009 we explored the beautiful new hospital and its brightly decorated units. One in particular caught my attention. It was the one behind the locked doors, unlike any other unit, even more intimidating than the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The sign on the door merely stated: "Locked Unit. Press button on wall to enter." My first time past it, I could not figure out what was behind those doors. It seemed quiet, almost barren, only a few nurses scooting from room to room. A couple days later, we happened to pass by during the daytime and saw a bunch of little pale, bald kids tethered to fully-loaded IV poles. Then it hit me - it was the pediatric oncology floor. Who even knew such existed.
Six days later, I found myself being transferred to that unit, with my then six month old baby in my arms. We were welcomed by many warm-hearted nurses, other parents who looked like they too had been to hell and back, much like how I was feeling, and all the sweet little children who had Christmas cards and decorations filling their rooms. It was then I officially became a cancer mom.
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Together, we must raise awareness of these diseases that silently invade our children's bodies, do damage and do the unthinkable by taking the lives of 3,000 innocent children every year in the US. From there, we need to increase understanding of funding and research needs to make sure this does not continue to affect our most precious gifts, our children.
This Could Be Your Child...
This 3-minute video puts it into persepctive. The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown. There are no warning signs or unhealthy lifestyles. At present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented. Childhood cancer occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, race, creed, color, religion, socioeconomic class, or geographic region. In the United States, the incidence of cancer among adolescents and young adults is increasing at a greater rate than any other age group, except those over 65 years.
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