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At the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, we know that a cancer diagnosis affects the entire family. When a child is given the news that they have cancer, siblings are impacted right alongside their brother or sister battling cancer.
Ayelet’s younger sister passed away from cancer which is why she is so passionate about spreading awareness and making a difference. In her sixth grade class, she wrote an essay about the need for more funding for pediatric cancer research. After she shared her essay with the class, she felt inspired and was interested in expanding her audience. Her teacher sat down with her and helped her identify organizations to reach out to. After learning more about PCRF, she knew it was a good fit to share her important message.
Take a look at a sixth grader’s perception of pediatric cancer research, treatments and cures.
“More Money for the Gold Ribbon”
“Is it true that we care more about saving the lives of adults than the lives of children? Then why is not enough money going to pediatric cancer research? Only 4% goes specifically to childhood cancer. With more money the doctors can buy more equipment for research to reach the cure quicker. Why shouldn’t we focus on curing our children so that they can continue us? More money has to be donated towards pediatric cancer research.
Only 4% of federal government cancer research funding goes to study pediatric cancer according to the National pediatric cancer foundation. That means that 96% goes to adult cancer, and that is not balanced at all. You might argue that 60,000 adults are diagnosed with it and only 40,000 children are diagnosed with it so we need the money more for the adults; there are more adults than children. To prove that, 0-19 year olds are only 33.95% of the population. But children have so much potential in the life ahead of them. The money going to children’s and adult’s cancer is not fair.
If we can raise more money we can do more. Purchasing better/fancier and/or more equipment is one example. Second of all, they can also hire more staff such as oncologists, scientists, research nurses etc. to get there quicker. “It’s really important for pediatric oncology centers to be active in research to be able to offer the newest and most innovative therapies to their patients,” said Dr. Derek R. Hanson of Hackensack Meridian Health in a Tackle Kids Cancer video. The only way this can happen is with the money these centers are not receiving. Pediatric oncology centers need to receive more money.
If we are not dedicated to finding the cure, our children can, g-d forbid, die. Each year 100,000 [worldwide] kids under the age of 15 die from cancer according to cityofhope.org. Without children to continue us, there will be no more people. I’m not saying it’s not important to find the cure for adults, but, I believe, it is more important to find the cure for our children. We can not do this without the money. We need our children to survive.
Pediatric cancer research centers goal is to make sure that there will be a cure for all cancers one day. They can’t do this without people donating. People need to donate so the children in our communities will be healthy and happy. If everybody gave a small amount that would be enough, but only if everybody gave. These centers need more money. So please; ask yourself: how much am I going to donate?”
Essay submitted by Ayelet Poupko.
*Facts are not checked or altered by the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
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The post Cancer Sibling Shares Why Pediatric Cancer Research is Important appeared first on Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
Source: Cancer Sibling Shares Why Pediatric Cancer Research is Important
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