Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer And Recovery
There is a part of me that aches all over, knowing this is the final day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I don’t want it to end. Each year, as September arrives, I feel encouragement and hope that this, this will be the year that awareness of childhood cancer will take a giant leap. Half-way through this month, I was still looking for Gold Ribbons. The only Gold Ribbons I have seen are the Gold Ribbons on the profile photos of my Facebook friends—childhood cancer families. I have seen quite a few pink ribbons this month making an early appearance… kind of like the stores display merchandise before the holiday is anywhere in sight.
Forty-six children are diagnosed with cancer each day in this country. Less than 3% of funding goes to fight childhood cancer. Seven children die each day in our country. There is no known cause. There is no known prevention.
How do we live amidst this death and destruction of children without rising up? I have learned the most about childhood cancer not from books, or from doctors, nor even from my own experience. I have learned the most from listening to families of children who have fought. They have a way of seeing straight through rubble to what is truth. The truth is, we need to act swiftly and strongly to give to research.
May I offer the insight of Mr. Tom Nunn:
“Pink is popular for many reasons and justifiably so. It deserves research and funding for a cure but so does Gold for Childhood cancer. “If a coast guard helicopter was called out into the ocean to rescue ten people on a sinking boat, one of whom was a child, you know that he or she would without a doubt be the first one in the basket up to the helicopter. So why then does that same human response not apply here with Childhood cancer? Let me tell you why, it is because not enough $$ can be made by big pharmacy to invest into the medicine. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE MORE DAMMIT! We are letting them sink on a boat bobbing in the ocean of Childhood cancer.” ~Tom Nunn, Max’s fatherNot enough $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ can be made developing new treatments for children with cancer. Not enough money can be made off sick children to justify developing new, less toxic treatments.
I am sorry, but I find this sick!
I pray for an Awakening.
Surely we cannot wait one more day to do something— anything— everything– to help stop childhood cancer.
Today’s suggestion of how you might help save a life…
Please give blood.
I had the opportunity to speak today at United Blood Services. I read the part of my book where I describe my first transfusion. I looked up after reading my five minute excerpt to glimpse at my mom in the back of the room.
She was wiping her tears.
Someone saved my life… and you can save someone else’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Y0lzZ9WY8
When our Awakening comes, we won’t need to concern ourselves with Gold Ribbons or what they stand for. We will ,naturally, without a thought to the cost, Circle-The-Wagons Around Our Young-In-Need.
This is the World I dream of Awakening to and the World I am working for.
Jamie Rendall lived to be 5
Melinda Marchiano 
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