Did you know?

You’ve probably already seen it. Pink merchandise popping up in stores. And you probably know why. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is next month.

But did you know that THIS month is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? I didn’t. Until my own child had cancer. There aren’t dozens of labels turned gold in the supermarket to tell me. There aren’t football players wearing gold jerseys to tell me. There aren’t gold bracelets next to the checkout counter that say “save the kids!” Instead they’re pink. And say “save your boobies!” And it’s not even their month yet.

September is for the children. For my children. For yours. For the 36 children that will be diagnosed with cancer today and for the 7 that will die. It’s for Brock and Xander and John and Mia and Molly and Asher and Charlsey and Stevy and Luke and Cash and Kaden and Morgan and Reece and Kort and Taylor and Abby and the 120 children in Oklahoma that will be diagnosed with cancer this year.

Boobies can wait til October.

Did you know that cancer is the leading killer of children by disease? It kills more children than cycstic fibrosis, diabetes, HIV, and genetic disorders. Did you know that breast cancer is the 6th cause of death by disease in women (behind heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, respiratory disease and Alzheimer’s)?

In terms of person years life lost (PYLL), the average age at diagnosis of breast cancer is 61, with a calculated 16 PYLL. In contrast, the average age that a child is diagnosed with cancer is 10. This calculates to 67 PYLL. SIXTY SEVEN YEARS OF LIFE LOST WHEN A CHILD DIES FROM CANCER.

I’m not picking on breast cancer. My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor. It’s just that funding for research for these 2 diseases is GROSSLY disproportionate.

For every $1 spent on childhood cancer research per patient, $7 is spent on breast cancer research per patient.

Our children deserve more.

This Saturday we’re participating in the CureSearch Walk in Oklahoma City. CureSearch raises funds for clinical trials research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group. This group of medical professionals treats more than 90% of children with cancer at over 180 hospitals in the United States.

Children’s Oncology Group wrote THIS treatment protocol that Brock has been on for the last 3 years.

Every little bit helps, friends. It’s only $10 to walk with us. You can even be a ‘virtual walker.’ It would mean so much to my family if you would stand behind us as we try to even the odds for the kids we know who are fighting to live a normal life. You can donate here.

Thank you for how you’ve loved on and supported us during the last 3 years. You have blessed us beyond measure.