By: Michael Lewis
As not many people may know, September is also known as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: a month in which people around the world come together to honor those who are currently fighting for their lives and to remember those who have lost their battle to cancer. To show support for kids who have battled or are currently battling cancer, and to raise money for government research, people host events such as marathons, silent auctions, and candlelight vigils. In addition, people also wear gold ribbons to symbolize the fight against childhood cancer.
Cancer is the number one cause of disease-related deaths in America for adolescents, with 1 out of 285 children in the U.S. being diagnosed before their 20th birthday. From those that are diagnosed every year, 1 in 5 of those kids will pass away from cancer. Despite the rate in which kids are suffering from cancer, childhood cancer only receives 4% out of the annual $5.2 billion budget towards cancer research since all pediatric cancers are considered “rare.”
Elena Desserich was only five years old when she was diagnosed with a pediatric terminal brain cancer known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, otherwise known as DIPG, in 2006, after bouts of double vision, nausea, progressive weakness on one side, and headaches. She went through radiation therapy, along with clinical trials, but these treatments only served as a purpose to buy her more time, not a cure. Despite valiant efforts, her tumor grew with a vengeance, stripping away all of Elena’s abilities including the ability to talk, walk, eat, or see. She fought for nine months before she passed away at the age of six. After her death, her parents started finding notes written by Elena all around the house, about how much she loved her family and that she was going to miss them. In Elena’s honor, her parents started The Cure Starts Now Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness for all childhood cancers and keeping their late daughter’s light alive.
Add comment
Comments