About Childhood Cancer

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

See how you can make a difference to help kids fighting pediatric cancer by supporting Four Diamonds families in September and year-round. 

• What is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?
• Facts about Childhood Cancer
• How You Can Help Kids During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Raise Awareness for Childhood Cancer & Influence Change
• Participate in Local Businesses’ Fundraising Activities
• Support a Year-Round Fundraiser During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Go Gold for Pediatric Cancer & Host Your Own Fundraiser
• Four Diamonds 2020 Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Corporate Partners

WHAT IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH?

Each September, families, caregivers, researchers and charities around the world unite in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. A Presidential Proclamation recognizing National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month was first issued by President Barack Obama in September 2012. 

FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD CANCER

Treatment outcomes for children with cancer have made tremendous improvements over the past 50 years, but the reality is one in five children with cancer will still die of their disease within five years.* Four Diamonds is on a mission to change this reality. You can help children and families fighting cancer by raising awareness and taking action For The Kids^®.

Four Diamonds child Celia, 11, and her mom Sara

HOW YOU CAN HELP KIDS DURING CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Whether you are looking to spread the word about the importance of cancer research or you want to participate in an event supporting a childhood cancer nonprofit, there are many activities that you can be involved in to join the fight against pediatric cancer.  

MAKE A LIFE-SAVING GIFT

1. RAISE AWARENESS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AND INFLUENCE CHANGE

To help you in sharing the facts about childhood cancer, and the urgent need for support, we’ve collected some of the easiest ways that you can raise awareness through social media and materials.

1. Update your Facebook profile picture with a gold ribbon, which is the international symbol for childhood cancer awareness.
2. Download and print Four Diamonds posters and childhood cancer statistics. Hang these at your business, at your desk or in your classroom!
3. Follow Four Diamonds on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to share our photos, videos and stories with your own social networks using #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth and #GoGoldFTK.
4. Share your passion and childhood cancer statistics on social media to rally others around your cause. Below are some sample posts you may want to share, and check out our new digital toolkit!

• I have joined Four Diamonds in the fight to conquer childhood cancer. Learn more at FourDiamonds.org #GoGoldFTK
• Did you know that in the U.S., more than 16,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year? Four Diamonds is working to change that. Learn more at FourDiamonds.org #GoGoldFTK
• Thanks to research, there are more than 420,000 childhood cancer survivors in the U.S., with that number expected to reach 500,000 by 2020. #GoGoldFTK
• Research saves lives, and Four Diamonds is leading the discovery of new and improved treatments and cures for kids around the world. #GoGoldFTK

2. SUPPORT A YEAR-ROUND FUNDRAISER DURING CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Register for the THON 5K, powered by PNC

• The Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) is a year-round fundraising effort coordinated by thousands of students at Penn State. You are invited to join the THON community in person or virtually to run, walk, bike or swim a 5K on Sunday, October 10. Your registration will directly benefit Four Diamonds children and their families by covering all medical bills not paid for by insurance and by funding life-saving research. 

Support, organize or participate in a Four Diamonds Mini-THON®

• Mini-THONs are fun and inspiring events for K-12 students that encourage teamwork, leadership and creativity while empowering youth and young adults through philanthropy and community service in the fight to conquer childhood cancer. Like THON™, Mini-THONs hold year-round fundraising activities that support Four Diamonds childhood cancer families and help fund life-saving cancer research. To start a Mini-THON or participate in your school’s Mini-THON events,  learn more and find your local Mini-THON school.

3. GO GOLD FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER & HOST YOUR OWN FUNDRAISER

Our work depends on you. Make a difference by turning your activities into fundraising campaigns to help raise awareness and funds for our cause. Fundraising can be easy. Create a Personal Campaign in just a few steps:

1. Create a page.
2. Set a goal and customize your campaign page.
3. Spread the word and invite people to donate!

CHILDHOOD CANCER

HOW DO CELLS BECOME CANCER CELLS?

Cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. 

In a normal cell, when DNA is damaged the cell either repairs the damage or the cell dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired, but the cell doesn’t die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells that the body does not need. These new cells will all have the same damaged DNA as the first cell does.

• About 15,780 children in the United States under the age of 19 will be diagnosed with cancer this year. 
• Every two minutes, somewhere in the world a family hears the devastating words “your child has cancer.”
• Childhood cancer continues to be the most common cause of death by disease for children in the United States. 
• Childhood cancer is not one disease – there are more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes .
• About 1,250 children younger than 15 years old are expected to die from cancer this year.
• Because of research and major treatment advances, more than 80 percent of children with cancer now survive 5 years or more. 
• Overall, this is a huge increase since the  mid-1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was less than 60 percent.

HOW IS CANCER IN CHILDREN DIFFERENT FROM CANCER IN ADULTS?

Cancer can begin when cells grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body.

The types of cancers that develop in children are often different from the types that develop in adults. Childhood cancers are often the result of DNA changes in cells that take place very early in life, sometimes even before birth. Unlike many cancers in adults, childhood cancers are not strongly linked to lifestyle or environmental risk factors.

Cancers in children are different from cancers in adults, and the tolerance to treatments is also different. 

SOURCES: WWW.CANCER.GOV; WWW.CANCER.ORG/CANCER/CANCER-IN-CHILDREN; WWW.ACCO.ORG