The Truth 365

Cancer Facts

It is impossible to measure the impact that childhood cancer has on it’s victims and their families by using statistics but research funding decisions are often based on numbers. Here are some facts about childhood cancer for you to consider:

• Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children and adolescents in the United States. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

• Each year in the United States, approximately 13,500 children and adolescents 18 and under are diagnosed with cancer, that’s more than a classroom of kids a day. (Sources: Center for Disease Control and Children’s Oncology Group)

• One out of every 300 males and one out of every 333 females in America will develop cancer before their 20th birthday. (Source: American Society of Clinical Oncology)

•More than 40,000 children undergo treatment for cancer each year. (Source: CureSearch)

• Approximately 20 percent of all children with cancer will die for their disease, asecondary cancer,  or complications from treatment. (National Cancer Institute)

• The causes of most pediatric cancers remain a mystery and cannot be prevented. (American Cancer Society)

• Childhood cancer does not discriminate, sparing no ethnic group, socio-economic class or geographic region. (Source: Centers for Disease Control data)

• About one in 500 young adults is a childhood cancer survivor. Nearly 2/3  of the survivors later experience significant and chronic medical problems or develop secondary cancers as adults that result from the  treatment of their original cancer. (Source: UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital)

•  Incidence of invasive pediatric cancers is up 29% in the past 20 years. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

• In the last 20 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only two pediatric cancer drugs—Clolar (clofarabine) and Erwinaze (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi)—that were initially studied in children. Other drugs for children’s cancers were first studied in or approved for adults with cancer. (American Association for Cancer Research)

• The average age of death for a child with cancer is 8, causing a childhood cancer victim to lose 69 years of expected life years; a significant loss of productivity to society. (Source: Kids V. Cancer)

•Childhood cancer survivors are at significant risk for secondary cancers later in life. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

•Cancer treatments can affect a child’s growth, fertility, and endocrine system. Child survivors may be permanently immunologically suppressed. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

•Radiation to a child’s brain can significantly damage cognitive function, or if radiation is given at a very young age, limiting the ability to read, do basic math, tell time or even talk. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

•Physical and neurocognitive disabilities resulting from treatment may prevent childhood cancer survivors from fully participating in school, social activities and eventually work, which can cause depression and feelings of isolation. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

Dear readers, 

help us by spreading the awareness of childhood cancer.. Only 3.8% of research fund goes to childhood cancer research.. And we r not talking about Malaysia.. I dun think we even have a research group on childhood cancer here in Malaysia.. Are our children not worth fighting for? Do our babies not deserve the same chance to fight for their lives as the adults do? Dont these innocent eyes deserve to see tomorrow? Tell our government that we need to do sumthing about it.. People know about the pink ribbon.. But are u aware of the gold ribbon? I wear a gold ribbon pin on myself and u know what people ask me? "Hey, isnt cancer ribbon pink in colour?" U know how heartbreaking it is to see people dun know the existence of childhood cancer? It makes me feel like my child doesnt matter.. My son matters and so does the other children.. They matter.. So help us .. Spread the awareness.. If u have bought my car stickers, put it up proudly on ur car windows.. Coz even if u think it wont make any change.. It does and it will.. If it doesnt change significantly at least us, as parents, would feel the support knowing that our child's suffering is at least acknowledged if not cured..