Fact: Pediatric cancer is the #1 cause of death
in children in the United States. The impact of childhood cancer on our nation is staggering:
Every school day, 46 young people, or two classrooms of students, are diagnosed with cancer in this country.
It cuts short the lives of more children under the age of 20 than any other disease; it remains the number one disease killer of America’s children – more than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Asthma and AIDS combined.
One in 330 children will develop cancer by age 20.
1 child out of 5 who is diagnosed with cancer dies; Although the 5 year survival rate is steadily increasing, one quarter of children will die 5 years from the time of diagnosis.
3 out of 5 children suffer from long-term or late side effects.
There are now more than 270,000 childhood cancer survivors in the United States and this number is growing rapidly.
A diagnosis of childhood cancer is devastating for the patient and family. Childhood cancer is treated aggressively, often with a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and stem cell transplants, at a time of life when their bodies are growing and developing. Treatment has a significant long-term impact on children’s' endocrine, heart, and cognitive functions. Unfortunately, some of the treatment side effects can be severe and the late effects unknown.
Kids Cancer Network
A cancer survivor developed a "Fun Letter", an eight page activities letter for children with cancer, including games to play, pictures to color and ideas to share. There are six issues that come out a year. Parts of a sample issue can be downloaded from this site.
American Brain Tumor Kids Page
There are three sections: learning, sharing, and activities. The learning page has a series of questions and answers for kids. The sharing page has kids stories and tips for coping. The activity page has crossword puzzles, word searches, and world scrambles that are related to brain tumors. One can also download a pdf document of Alex’s Journey, about a boy who is diagnosed with a brain tumor. The entire video can be obtained free of charge through ABTA.
If I had it my way, my mom would still be alive and my son would not be starting his fifth year of treatment for childhood cancer. While I did not choose this path, I do choose how to cope with it.
Dance When the Brain Says No
Dance When the Brain Says No is a mother’s poignant memoir about her young daughter, Leslie, and her valiant battle against brain cancer. The heart and soul of this tender story are found in Leslie’s own words expressed in poetry, journal entries, and letters.
If I Were a Little Guy
The book was inspired by the author’s father. As he lay in the hospital after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, it began to snow — very big snowflakes. He said, “Man, If I were a little guy I could climb on one of those and float on down.”
Chemo to the Rescue:
A Children's Book on Leukemia
An online book for young children with leukemia. A mother and child wrote the book together during the long hours at the hospital. It helps explain the disease and also lends encouragement to others going through the same thing.
Henry and the White Wolf
by Tyler Karu and Tim Karu
For one courageous little hedgehog it means facing his darkest fears, such as the White Wolf. Or the uncertainty of change, like when all his quills fall out. In this inspiring tale about the journey back to health, A hedgehog named Henry clings to his good-luck stone, and, using all of his inner strength finds his way out of illness. Included for all little heroes is a stone of their very own, a reminder of the strength that is always within them.