I don't want to hear about childhood cancer anymore!

September is childhood cancer awareness month. *blah blah blah*

I have been telling people about childhood cancer, and quite frankly I am sick of it. I am sick and tired of "childhood cancer awareness" month. I am so weary of thinking about childhood cancer. I just don't want to do it anymore: it is too depressing. I don't want to think of all the sweet children that are suffering and all the parents that are grieving. If I ignore it maybe it will go away. If I just pretend that children don't get cancer, perhaps Jimmy will grow his hair back, his vision will return and he wont have seizures or learning disabilities anymore. If I don't think about the little children dying perhaps they just won't die. It is just too ugly, depressing, and painful to think about, so I won't acknowledge it, and it won't exist.

Unfortunately, However much I may wish to ignore it, the reality is that children die from cancer. There are children dying right now. 3,000 children will die of cancer this year. Cancer is the #1 cause of death from disease in children in the U.S. Only 3% of cancer research money goes toward childhood cancers. Chemotherapy and radiation are far more damaging to developing little brains and bodies than it is to adults, but, ONLY ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use in the past 35 years!

Did I mention that September is childhood Cancer Awareness month?

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and September 12 is Childhood Cancer Awareness Day

Here are some things you can do this month (and ALL YEAR ROUND, for the most part!) to support Childhood Cancer Awareness. None of these things involves any financial burden of any kind (except for eating at Chili's ... but hey, ya gotta eat right??)

Tell everyone you know (and even those you don't know) how you, or someone you love, has been touched by childhood cancer.


Donate blood: givelife.org


Dine at Chili’s on September 28, 2009, when they will donate 100% of profits from restaurant sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: createapepper.com


WEAR GOLD FOR THE KIDS: cafepress.com/teamunite


Register to become a bone marrow donor: marrow.org


Offer to volunteer at a local childhood cancer center.


Join Team Unite to become part of a unified voice against childhood cancer: teamunite.net


Join People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2) to learn of efforts being made around the country to find a cure, raise awareness, and lend support: curechildhoodcancer.ning.com


Let a family that's been touched by childhood cancer know you STILL CARE and haven't forgotten about their struggles.


Let a family of an angel know their child remains in your heart.


Sign the CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER petition (and ask your friends and family to sign, as well!): thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer
Download a poster version of this list! http://teamunite.net/pdf/TeamUnite_SEPTEMBER.pdf