OncoInsightBridge

By OncoInsightBridge

September has always been a month of anticipation for me, primarily due to all the fun upcoming holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This year, despite not having personal experience with childhood cancer, I find myself deepening my understanding and reflecting on the importance of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM). This September, let’s turn sympathy into action.

             What Every Parent Should Know About Pediatric Cancer

Pediatric cancer refers to cancer that occurs in children and adolescents, typically under 19 years old. Cancer in children is relatively rare compared to cancer in adults; however, it still poses a serious threat due to its profound impact on children and their families. The most prevalent types of pediatric cancer include:

• Leukemia – cancer of the blood and bone marrow
• Brain and spinal cord tumors – tumors causing brain or spine problems
• Neuroblastoma –  a cancer that typically starts in the adrenal glands but can also start in nerve tissues along the spine, chest, abdomen, or pelvis

Survival rates may vary based on types of cancer and location. Low and middle-income countries often have lower survival rates due to less access to treatments and hospitals. Some of the most common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Insights on CCAM

This September marks the 34^th Childhood Cancer Awareness Month since the first one in 1990. The primary goals of this month are to raise awareness about pediatric cancer, advocate for increased funding for childhood cancer research, provide support for families affected by this disease, and honor fighters and survivors.

During this month, many people showcase their support for children with cancer by making social media posts (using #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth and #GoGold), hosting fundraisers (such as lemonade stands, charity runs, and auctions), and organizing educational events:

• Celebrations often honor the achievements of children who have fought cancer, as well as their families and friends.
• Memorials and tributes are created to recognize children who have lost their lives to cancer.
• Advocates meet up with legislators and government officials to push for better pediatric care policies.
• People are encouraged to wear gold ribbons, the symbol for childhood cancer awareness.

It is a month that families, patients, advocacy organizations, healthcare institutions, and compassionate individuals participate in. Fortunately, the amount of people participating in activities this month has steadily increased over the years.

There’s no doubt that this advocacy is effective. Due to increased research, the overall childhood cancer survival rate has increased from 20% in 1962 to 80% today.

Unfortunate Realities: The Numbers Behind Childhood Cancer

Despite all this improvement, cancer still poses a serious threat to children and adolescents. Here are some statistics:

•  Even though about 400,000 children/adolescents develop cancer each year, only around half are diagnosed.
• About 100,000 children every year lose their lives to cancer.
• More than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have significant chronic health issues
• It is still the leading cause of death by disease among children.

Cancer treatments can have harsh side effects such as mental health issues, memory loss, stunted growth, nerve damage, heart and organ damage, infertility, and more.

                  Simple actions a Parent or Caretaker Can do to Make a Big Difference

 Education: Educating yourself as well as others is an important step to help fight childhood cancer. You can do this by reading inspirational stories and learning more about childhood cancer, as well as hosting/attending educational seminars. If you are a parent, try working with your child’s school to incorporate childhood cancer awareness activities.

Of course, cancer is not only hard on the patient itself but also on the patient’s loved ones:

• One in four families lose over 40% of their annual household income as a result of childhood cancer-related work disruption.
• One in three families faces other work-related disruptions, such as losing their jobs or having to change their jobs.
• Loved ones of children with cancer are at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties (such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder).

Helping with tasks: This September is the perfect time to show support for a family facing pediatric cancer (although you can do this any time of the year). Help lessen the burden on these families by offering to do nice things:

•  Bringing a meal or treat
• Running errands
• Doing yard work and chores
• Helping with childcare (babysitting siblings, driving a child to and from school).

Giving encouragement: Sending an encouraging letter or message would also be greatly appreciated! Sending a care package is also very considerate. The donations they receive help assist in tasks such as creating family memories through bonding activities, providing transportation assistance and assisting family members with day-to-day operations and meal planning.

Sharing your story: If you are or you know a child fighting (or has fought) cancer, please consider sharing your story – which includes the cancer journey, challenges faced and milestones reached. Personal stories like these are crucial to raising awareness and helping sympathize with others who are going through similar things. If you are looking for others to connect with, please don’t hesitate to join a support group (virtual or physical).

Support groups: If there are no support groups nearby, you can start a support group and make sure that families dealing with pediatric cancer know that they are not alone in their journey.

Learning about early warning signs: One major problem regarding pediatric cancer is failing to recognize early warning signs. As a parent, educating yourself and others about childhood cancer signs (such as unexplained weight loss, extreme fatigue, persistent pain, random bleeding, and ongoing pain) can help you identify if your child has cancer, and allow earlier treatments and better chances of survival. Learning about specific kinds of cancer common among children (leukemia, brain tumors, neuroblastoma, etc.) also allows for earlier identification.

Group and play therapy: Group and play therapy is a therapeutic approach used to support children dealing with emotional, psychological, or medical challenges. Hosting group and play therapy can help children with cancer (as well as their siblings) manage emotions, cope with treatments and improve their overall mental state. Group and play therapy can involve playing with toys, structured activities, and a safe and supportive environment. They can be hosted by caregivers or therapists.

Policy change: Lastly, push for policy change. Partner with advocacy organizations and encourage legislative changes that can increase funding for research and improve treatment access around the world. Collaborate with others to set goals and create strategies; then, reach out to legislators and representatives who have influence over pediatric cancer policies. You can also attend events planned by advocacy organizations instead of starting one yourself.

It is very important during this month to recognize the importance of having a strong support system, whether it be having a supportive family or a caregiver who helps take on many tasks.

Now here are some things that anyone and everyone can do

Volunteering: Want to help but don’t know where to start? Reach out to a local hospital nearby and ask if there are any ways to help. Or volunteer for an organization physically or virtually.

Hosting events and raising money: Hosting a fundraiser is also extremely beneficial – entailing things like lemonade stands, bake sales, garage sales, crowdfunding campaigns, craft fairs, car washes, or clothing/toy drives. If you don’t want to host, you can always attend an event rally nearby. Like many others in the past, you can make a social media post or write a blog. Share these posts with your friends and family and ask them to share them with more people they know.

Donations: If you want to help but don’t have the time to host or join an event, donating to childhood cancer advocacy organizations is a great idea.

Wearing gold: Lastly, not only is a gold ribbon the symbol of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but gold itself is also the symbol of childhood cancer awareness, representing bravery and resilience. Showcase your support and spread awareness by wearing gold clothing or accessories.

                                         Future Prospects and Goals

Thanks to advocacy efforts, cancer treatments are constantly improving. However, there is still much to be accomplished. This September, some ongoing goals to work on include improving survival rates, advancing treatment options, reducing side effects, increasing research funding, improving access to treatment, and addressing health disparities. Some new goals that have arisen recently include creating more precise medicine, accelerating the development and approval of new therapies, fostering global collaboration, and integrating Artificial Intelligence to enhance diagnostics and treatments.

Final Thoughts

Throughout my life, I’ve seen and respected the incredible efforts made by parents and caregivers around the world. Taking any one of these steps can help make a big impact. Even if you, like me, are not a parent or caregiver, it is still important for us to participate in this impactful month and showcase our appreciation and support for caregivers and parent advocates.

Join us in supporting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! At the OncoInsightBridge, we are determined to fight the challenges faced by people dealing with pediatric cancer. Together, as a community, we can help increase awareness, research, support, and funding. For more information on how to get involved (as parents or caregivers or to support parents and caregivers), please visit our website to find out how you can get involved and make a difference. Remember, cooperation and advocacy are key.

References:

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). (2024, August 1). https://www.aacr.org/patients-caregivers/awareness-months/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Join us this September. World Child Cancer. (2023, August 22). https://worldchildcancer.org/ccam/

www.GoOnline.ca. (2001, September 19). September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!. Michael Cuccione Foundation. https://www.childhoodcancerresearch.org/news-and-announcements/september-is-childhood-cancer-awareness-month

Childhood cancer facts. Children’s Cancer Research Fund. (2023, July 25). https://childrenscancer.org/education/childhood-cancer-facts/

Childhood cancer awareness month. Children’s Cancer Cause. (n.d.). https://www.childrenscancercause.org/september

Childhood cancer awareness month. ACCO. (2022, September 6). https://www.acco.org/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Childhood cancer awareness month. Children’s Cancer Research Fund. (2023, September 7). https://childrenscancer.org/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Childhood cancer awareness month. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – NCI. (2021, August 31). https://www.cancer.gov/pediatric-adult-rare-tumor/news/upcoming-events/childhoodcancerawarenessmonth

Childhood cancer awareness month. CURE Childhood Cancer. (2024, July 25). https://curechildhoodcancer.org/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Childhood cancer awareness month: September. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month | September – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. (n.d.). https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/childhood-cancer-awareness-month.html