Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Josh - the Super Star!



September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

I had other topics in mind for today's post, but in light of a recent video that has been released featuring, in small part, Joshua, I decided to focus today's blog on awareness.
According to the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, as recently as thirty years ago, few children with cancer survived, but now almost 75% can look forward to being cured.

However, treatments can come at a high price.

While there are, of course, immediate effects, there are also late effects including learning disabilities, secondary cancers, deteriorating bones, collapsing joints, loss of fertility, heart damage and post traumatic stress disorders in the survivors and their family.

In the video you will see some statistics, and feel the purpose of this campaign. It speaks of 400 children in a year's time that wont be placed on a trial due to lack of funding.

Joshua is one of them.

In fact, just recently there has been debate about Joshua's protocol not being as effective as others. Not something a mother wants to hear. Only time will tell. And for a parent of a child with cancer - time is everything!

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