Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Unknown Facts

Each September is recognized as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This initiative highlights the impact that cancer has on the young people and their families. This is symbolized by a gold ribbon and it is worn to commemorate the event. When a group of parents were asked to choose a color for Childhood Cancer Awareness, they picked gold because it symbolizes children as precious. The sole aim of recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to raise support and fund the families going through such trauma. It was founded by the then US President Barrack Obama in the year 2010. It is needless to say that childhood cancer is devastating for the growth and development of the children affected. At the time when children are supposed to play, go to school they are subjected to medications, hospitals, operations and the time they have left.

Childhood cancer is a harsh reality for thousands of families. There are some facts that one is not aware of Childhood Cancer. Read on to know.

• According to studies, there are almost 700 cases of childhood cancer around the world: the number equals to an entire elementary school of children. There are almost 250000 new cases of cancer that only includes children under the age of 20. The leading cause of death of children in the US is cancer. There are almost 250 deaths every day due to childhood cancer. Each year almost 91250 cancer cases are reported that caused death. As per the reports of 2016, deaths by a brain tumour has taken over the deaths caused by leukemia.
• Childhood cancer is not just one type of disease rather it has different types and subtypes. Cancer can begin anywhere in the body and the causes of such type of cancer are mostly not known. Unlike many adult cancers, childhood cancers cannot be linked to lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Researchers try to understand if genetic mutations are the reason for such cancers and if it is possible to search for cures.
• Childhood cancer treatment is not restricted to radiation and chemotherapy. Therapies such as Car T cell immunotherapy focuses on the genetic components and these are giving more hope than before.
• Just curing cancer is not enough and it has been seen that two-thirds of the childhood cancer patients show long-lasting chronic conditions that appear in the treatment process. The treatment has definitely increased the survival rate; however, it also leads to a number of effects such as the problem in learning and cognitive impairment.
• Even though childhood cancer treatment is available all over the US, still it is not available in every town. Besides the treatment brings huge psychological and financial burden on the families. With the health tourism program of PatientMD, one can avail of such treatments at a lower cost. To learn more about the program click here.

Children might be more resilient to the overall process and there are a number of cases with complete recovery. However, awareness and education are vital and so Childhood Cancer Awareness month is also important.