Kristie McNealy, MD

It’s getting a little crazy around here again, but I couldn’t let September 1st pass without reminding you all that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Cancer is the number 1 disease killer of children, and despite the improving survival rates for most childhood cancers, 1/4 of all kids who are diagnosed with cancer still die within 5 years of diagnosis.

• Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer, and 1 in 330 children will develop cancer by age 20.
• On the average 12,500 children and teens will be diagnosed with some form of cancer each year in this country.
• Cancer is the #1 disease killer of America’s children – more than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined.
• In the US, almost 3,000 childhood cancer patients die each year.
• Over the past two decades, only ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use.
• Currently there are between 30-40,000 children undergoing cancer treatment in the U.S.
• Research funds are scarce, because most money is diverted to well-publicized adult forms of cancer, such as breast and prostate.
• Right now, somewhere in America, there are 7 children fighting for their lives who won’t live through the day.

I’ll be back later this week with ways that you can work to raise awareness about childhood cancer (if you can’t wait, you can check out a few ideas from last year).  In the meantime, if you’re looking for gold ribbon gear to show your support, check out Gold Ribbons for Childhood Cancer Awareness.

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• Honor Young Warriors During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Early Detection is Key in Breast Cancer Survival
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