Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery
Dear Oprah,
It is me, Melinda again, writing to ask you to please do a show on childhood cancer. The purpose of my daily letters is not to annoy you, but to engage you in my mission of hope. If you look at the Oprah, Please Do a Show on Childhood Cancer Facebook page today, you will see many stories of children who have fought cancer, along with shocking statistics of how childhood cancer is overlooked and underfunded.
If you look closely at the stories, you will find many common threads. One very startling thread is the common denominator of children with cancer being misdiagnosed. It is appalling that parents take their children to appointment after appointment, doctor after doctor, and still, their child’s cancer is not found until it spreads to the point of no hope for recovery. I do not blame doctors for this. This is a problem in our society. There is so little awareness that children are dying as a result.
Over the past year, I have been blessed, and at the same time saddened, by communications with other children with cancer. They fight so hard. They just want to be normal. Their families are ravaged and devastated. Unfortunately, children do not vote, children do not earn income, and children do not have the same rights as adults. How can children fight for the same “Cancer Rights” that adults have earned?
They can’t.
These children are depending on us. Future children are depending on us. Please gather childhood cancer experts with members of The Giving Pledge for the purpose of creating an enormous Childhood Cancer War Machine.
This spectacular machine would guarantee:
*Earlier detection for childhood cancers
*Less toxic treatments for childhood cancers
*Great follow-up care for children with cancer
I want this with all of my heart. I will persist. Yes, I will keep persisting until I engage you in this mission.
With great hope,
Melinda
16 Year-Old Author of Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery
Last Chemo Day at Cottage Hospital
Melinda Marchiano 
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