104) Childhood cancer Month

I’m sitting down to write for the first time in a while. About 5 weeks to be more exact. August 2019 was the first month where I did not write even one post. I don’t think this space has become a burden where I feel compelled to constantly update even if I have nothing to say, but I also think a little break has been good.

Today is September 1^st, which marks both Childhood cancer Awareness Month, and Blood cancer Awareness Month. Childhood cancer Awaerness Month is being championed on social media with #ChampionCcAM, while Blood cancer Awareness Month is being champoined with #EndBloodcancers, or #BloodcancerAwarenessMonth, or #BcAM. Childhood cancer is represented with a gold ribbon, and Blood cancer is represented with an orange ribbon. Since E is a child with cancer, but that cancer is a blood cancer, I kind of have one foot in each cause.

During my writings this month – and I’m actually going to try to post every day because it is a special awareness month – I’m going to focus more on childhood cancers.

Childhood cancer is the number one disease killing Canadian children.

Childhood cancer occurs randomly, and the causes of most are still unknown.

There are about 1700 cases of childhood cancer diagnosed in Canada every year. That averages to 4.66 families per day, being told some of the worst news that a parent can hear.

Childhood cancer survivors often have late, and long term effects from their chemotherapy, which can cause burdens on social systems like health and welfare.

Childhood cancers grow, and act differently than cancers found in adults, yet most childhood cancers are treated with chemotherapy drugs designed for adult cancers. In fact, since 1980, there have only been 4 new chemo drugs approved that are specific to childhood cancer.

Childhood cancer research is criminally underfunded, accounting for ~5% of all research. Children have the most to lose, yet receive deprioritized funding for their cancers.

Canada has an election October 21^st, 2019. I try to keep this page mostly free politics and partisanship. I don’t care which party you vote for, just get yourself informed, and get out and vote. Along the way I encourage you to speak to your MP candidates to express your desire to see more research funds directed to childhood cancer.