September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. No surprise that my family and I are well aware that childhood cancer happens. And it's no surprise to you either, since you're here now, following my blog.
The picture of childhood cancer I've been painting, Thank God, has been a relatively good one. I've got a great hospital and team of doctors and nurses behind me at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
I've also got the most popular kind of childhood cancer, so there are more things known about ALL than other childhood cancers. So, I've got great odds of beating this.
Mom searched the web and found this article published online March 2012 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology:
Researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center found that the 5-year survival rate for children and adolescents with ALL improved from 83.7% for those diagnosed between 1990 and 1994, to 90.4% for those diagnosed between 2000 and 2005. In the 1960s, the 5-year survival rate was less than 10%.
Less than 10%!! A one in ten chance of beating it, and now it's one in ten who don't beat it. But, what does 'beating it' really mean? It means there are no more cancer cells detected. Kids still die cancer-free after cancer treatment because of the side effects of chemotherapy.
Heartbreaking, right?
What can I do?
First, Prayer seems an obvious choice. We pray that I'm not the one in ten where cancer kills and that I don't perish from after-effects of chemo either.
Secondly, I can make people aware that this cancer stuff is happening to more than just me. Every year an estimated 263,000 new cases of cancer affect children under the age of 20 worldwide. That's 720 new kids affected every day. Every year approximately 91,000 kids around the world lose their life to the disease every year.
Thirdly, we can donate and encourage others to donate and fundraise and make others aware, so they can encourage others to donate and fundraise and make others aware, so they can donate and encourage others to donate and fundraise and make others aware... You get the picture...
It's no good to have September be Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, if there are no improvements in medicine actually made. Although my cute face sure raises awareness, as with most things, it's best to put actual dollars behind it. I'll have mom put some links at the bottom of this post to direct you to places you can go to really make a difference.
As for me, the little two/nearly three-year-old, I'm going to concentrate on just fighting this thing. It isn't as easy as I might make it look. This week I had a breathing treatment. That sounds easy enough, it's just breathing, right? Well, no. There is no logic or reasoning with me since I'm two, and the face mask that carries the med can't just be gently rested above my nose and cover my mouth. No. The lovely respiratory therapist has to wear a mask, as does mom so they don't breathe in this med which prevents a lung infection while I'm still so immunocompromised. Then, mom holds me in a tight tight grip, then like some sort of a torture device, the RT pushes this plastic mask into my face as well as she can so no meds escape and I breathe in a medication mist for 5 minutes... I scream and thrash around and try to escape. Truly, no fun for anyone. I scream and that's good because on each big inhale I take in more medication. It doesn't taste good and for a while after treatment I'm swallowing hard and making silly faces. But, it's all part of cancer therapy. It's better to do this than get sick. So, I'll do that each month until next November, increasing the time of meds each visit, because as I grow, my lungs are getting bigger and I'll need more medication to keep me well.
But, overall, breathing treatments and spinal taps and force fed daily chemo and mouth washes aside... I'm one of the luck ones!! Sure, I had a pretty bumpy July, with mom accidentally overdosing me and my counts bottoming out, and I did need a few blood transfusions, but really, all in all, I've been really lucky. Really lucky...
I've got smiles and pictures of me wheeling around the hospital in a push car pulling my IV bag. There are even more pictures of me with a cute bald head -
I've got fun fundraisers and cool t-shirts, a plethora of hats and the coolest hand painted shoes. I've got blankets, gold profile pics with mom and amazing new friends that are from childhood cancer families- all of which I wouldn't have had if I didn't have cancer.
And, I'm well enough to be at home!! I'm learning everyday and playing like a typical kid. My speech is coming along and I've got shoe inserts now, so I might even start running soon.
Here are a few picture of what I've been up to during this September: Cancer Awareness Month.
Mom, Diana and I have been Running to the White House for Childhood Cancer Awareness.
Daddy pushed me on the swings after church.
Diana gives great piggy back rides.
I love squeezing between my big brother and sis for a photo. I think I'll always look up to them.
NANNA came to babysit on the first day of school for the big kids.
I like the swing at Nannu and Nanna's.
Look! I have enough hair now for a little hair bow!
Nannu helped me put on shoes to play outside.
I helped Mommy cook in the kitchen.
I love playing with my baby doll.
So, sit right here, beside me, as you have all along, and help me make others aware that Childhood Cancer exists and that it needs more funding for cures and for our future.
Before September is through, consider making a donation to the St Baldricks Foundation, an organization committed to funding pediatric cancer research.
Or, do your own research and find a children's cancer organization that moves you. Snowdrop Wisconsin and Alex's Lemonade Stand are both worthy of your time and dollars. Thank you.
Thank you for your prayers.
