A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

Posts tagged ‘Kids V Cancer’

“A Day of Yellow and Gold to Fight Childhood Cancer” Tony and Cole

 

“A Day of Yellow and Gold to Fight Childhood Cancer”

What a world this would be if…

…if we would choose to take care of our children first.

Tony Stoddard is a leader in the world of childhood cancer advocacy, believing our kids deserve the best we can provide. Melinda and I have great respect for this man, his mission, and his brilliant campaign to color our country gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. Along with Tony, we honor the memory of his son, Cole.

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“This past September I was mired in grief at the loss of my precious five year old son Cole. He passed away from neuroblastoma cancer on January 20th 2012. I created my page “A Day of Yellow and Gold to Fight Childhood Cancer” to honor the memory of my son Cole and all children who have faced the monster that is Childhood Cancer.
I am determined that we will never go through another September without the gold of Childhood Cancer Awareness shining everywhere. Without awareness childhood cancer will remain underfunded and ignored, leaving many thousands of children to continue to suffer through antiquated treatments and to have less than the best chance to survive this monster. I am unwavering in my attempts to see gold each September on town buildings, on the White House, on the fields of the NFL and MLB, on ribbons worn by celebrities, politicians, and media personalities. I want to see as much gold in September as we see pink in October! Our children need and deserve this!”
                                                                                                                 ~Tony Stoddard, Cole’s Dad

  (From People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2) website)

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I am not sure where or when the motto, “Women and children first” went out of style. I have a sneaky suspicion it left the moment our nation decided money is paramount. I have suspicions it left because treating children with cancer is not a profitable business, unlike treating adult cancers. I suspect it left because we have lost ourselves in adult selfishness.

Today, I ask you to take a stand with Tony for Cole. Take a stand with Tony for all the children who have fought, have suffered, and have taught us that they are worth every bit of “guts” we need to spill to see they receive a much different future. Tony is right. Without awareness, kids with cancer will continue to be treated with “antiquated treatments,” and funding for research will remain frighteningly low. If you haven’t already, please like Tony’s page to color our country yellow and gold. While you are there, tell him how much you appreciate what he is doing for our children. Tell him his heart and the “guts” he is spilling for our dear children are making a difference. Steer your heart under Tony’s wings and help his mission to end childhood cancer soar!

https://www.facebook.com/yellowandgoldforcole

https://twitter.com/smilesforcole @smilesforcole

Smile, Be Happy (Cole’s Song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSn2WcSo9fc

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Advocacy Opportunity!

Please give a few moments of your time to be an advocate for kids with cancer.

From Kids V Cancer Facebook page today:

#endchildhoodcancer “Please post this pic and put the hashtag #endchildhoodcancer on your status. For every photo shared Hyundai will pledge another $1 to AACR Pediatric Cancer Programs, up to $5,000… as many times possible until Wednesday!”

https://www.facebook.com/kidsvcancer?hc_location=timeline

Can you say "Viral"?

Can you say “Viral”?

 

 

 

                   Ready, set, go!

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Blogger: Lee Marchiano

Melinda will be back soon!

 

 

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Creating Hope

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

There are times I wish I could transport my People Shell through time and space so that I would be able to attend an important event… or be able to wrap my arms around someone I love.

I really could have used a People Shell Transport to bring me to Washington D.C. to attend CureSearch’s Advocacy Days and to witness the introduction of Kids v Cancer’s Creating Hope Act in the Senate by Bob Casey. (D – PA) This legislation means HOPE for many who suffer from “rare” diseases. Childhood cancer is classified as a “rare” disease— although 46 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each school day and 7 children die from cancer each day. Childhood cancer does not fall under the “rare” category in my personal encyclopedia. I look forward to the formal report from PAC2; Bob Piniewski (PAC2, dad to AJ,) Joe McDonough (B+ foundation, dad to Andrew,) Andy Mikulak (Max’s Ring of Fire, dad to Max,) thank you for your tireless commitment to helping children with cancer. Thank you Senator Bob Casey for your compassionate work– and thank you to all of the childhood cancer advocates who participated. (I will begin searching now for a Transport for next year!)

“Of the nearly one in 10 Americans with rare diseases, approximately two-thirds are children,” said Peter L. Saltonstall, President and CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).  “Many of these rare pediatric diseases are very serious and treatments are desperately needed.  By expanding priority review vouchers to include pediatric rare diseases, this legislation would encourage the development of treatments for children with serious rare diseases.”

Now, two reasons why we need to act—now.

(Do we really need “reasons”… these are our dearly loved children fighting for their lives against a horrible disease!)

One of my dear Frovies (Friends I Love, and the “ie” is a hug at the end) on Twitter, Hara, asked me if I would please pray for Nick, passing along his Caringbridge site.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/francafamily/journal

My FB buddy, Steve, passed on this:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=8031009

Yes, we need HOPE for children. Thank you to everyone working toward this goal. With cooperation, commitment, dedication and hard work, we will collectively reach the goal of curing childhood cancer.

Hero Taylor

Facebook/ Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

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Courage Despite Grief

 

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

Dear Oprah,

In my daily letter on this day, I ask you once again to please do a show on childhood cancer. I have read each of the stories posted on the Oprah, Please Do A Show On Childhood Cancer Facebook page since it was born in early September last year. I don’t know how anyone can read the stories and not take action in some way. It seems our society has become lazy, self-centered, and selfish. We wait for others to do what we can do ourselves. We busily pursue our own agendas… turning away from those who desperately need our help.

I know people who have not turned away from the daunting challenge of working toward a cure for childhood cancer. These people are the opposite of lazy, the opposite of selfish. The people I am speaking of are heroes to children with cancer—they are parents who have lost their own child to cancer and still fight on for others. They have created organizations that raise money for research and also help families through the financial/emotional struggles of childhood cancer. I would LOVE to see you feature these heroes on your show. Funny, after I wrote that last sentence, I heard a voice telling me what these heroes would say in response.

They would say that their heroes are the children fighting cancer.

The truth is, Oprah, children fighting cancer need tons of support—medically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I don’t know what we would do without the individuals who have created Layla Grace Foundation, People Against Childhood Cancer, Alexa Nawrocki  Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Kids V Cancer, Children’s Cancer Association,  Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, and I know there are more. I cannot express how much I admire these people, not only for what they are doing for children with cancer, but for their courage in taking huge leaps to assist children with cancer in the midst of their grief.

Courage.

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow. ~Mary Anne Radmacher

 Be back again tomorrow,

Melinda

 

AJ and his Dad, Bob... one of my heroes

 

 

 

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