AN OPEN LETTER TO MOM's FIGHTING FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AND FUNDING
Imagine an intruder in your home. Imagine you are there with your children. Imagine that intruder attacks. What would you do? I think your answer would be to throw yourself in front of the intruder to protect your children. And, if you had to, I imagine you would give your life to protect your children.
Unfortunately that intruder, cancer, intrudes on far too many homes. I think most of you think you are "home alone" with that intruder. But the truth is your children are home too.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. September was National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. How many of you Mom's fighting for awareness and funding for breast cancer knew that? How many of you know that:
- Childhood cancer is the number one cause of death from disease for our children, killing more every year than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and pediatric AIDs COMBINED!
- About 1 in 300 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20
- 1 in 4 or 5 of those children will not survive
- 60% of the survivors have long term health problems (secondary cancers, major organ problems, developmental issues) from the "down-sized" adult treatments
- All 12 major types of childhood cancer receive less than 3% of federal and private funding
- Simply put, both awareness and funding for childhood cancer is woefully inadequate
About 25 years ago, awareness and funding for breast cancer was woefully inadequate. So I applaud and support the efforts of Susan G. Komen to fight back. You and your supporters have done an unbelievable job. And just to be very clear, last month I lost my Mom to breast cancer.
But I am simply asking that now and next September, you also consider supporting childhood cancer awareness and funding. Look into
CureSearch,
People Against Childhood Cancer,
St. Baldrik's,
Alex's Lemonade Stand's,
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and the many other fine organizations fighting every day for our kids.
For my wife and I, sadly it is too late. On January 5, 2008 we lost our son AJ to childhood cancer. Before Fathers Day 2007 AJ was simply another happy, healthy, athletic, joy to be around young man looking forward to high school. That all changed overnight. And our lives are forever shattered by the loss of our future. We are not widows or orphans; there is no name for us. But I told AJ we would fight back. And I am seeking help from you.
Who knows, your support may help may save a child, god forbid; your own.
Bob Piniewski
Founder
People Against Childhood Cancer AJsDad4227@gmail.com
