Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

It is September 2nd and childhood cancer awareness month started yesterday. If you follow me on FB you know that my nephew is starting his battle again.

In the last week I have looked for and sought ways I could be of help to my family and other kids who are battling this disease.  I don't have financial means to make great donations for research or fly across the country to help them at this time. I was feeling stuck, my own bills mounting and yet this desire to do something.

 The night I found out  that the cancer was back, I quickly made a ribbon for Little Mr M! and then inspiration struck. I have opened a page on Cafe Press to sell some artwork I created for this month. (with the help of my Mac and a tagexdo).  Here is the site please share it, purchase something if you are so inclined.. But also for this month could you wear a gold ribbon, put one on your social media page, something to bring awareness.

I may be only one person but I have the power to make change if I use my voice to inform others. Join me in making a change, in helping not just my family but lots of families who fight this disease.  Go here please and shop for something, the proceeds will go to help a kids battle cancer either their personal battle or for research that is actually aimed a pediatric research.

http://www.cafepress.com/kidsdeserveacure


 Below are some statistics I was not aware of until recently, they floored me, hurt my heart and made me angry all in the same breath.
- Each year in the U.S. there are approximately 13,400 children between the ages of birth and 19 years of age who are diagnosed with cancer.
- That means about 37 kids a day, every day 
- About one in 300 boys and one in 333 girls will develop cancer before their 20^th birthday
- Approximately 7 kids a day will die from pediatric cancer- that is about 2550 kids a year. 

22 days

                    In 22 days I will go from having hair halfway down my back to being bald. I have been told I am crazy, insane, amazing, weird and a variety of other questions/comments  have been thrown at me as to the why I am shaving my head.  I have been asked why not just donate it to Locks for Love, which by the way I am doing as well. The answers to all of this started out simple and easy in my mind, they have become a little more complex but the root of they why is still the same.

Childhood cancer SUCKS. It has always sucked, but when it touches your life, your family, suddenly the reality of it becomes much more apparent, much more tangible.  This little boy is the reason I will go from long hair to no hair in 22 days.

At the beginning of March 2012 my best friend's life was turned upside down. Her family became the "1 every 3 minutes" that heard the words none of us ever want to hear, your son has cancer. Since then it has been a whirlwind of doctors appointments, treatments, hospitals and tests. Through all of it M has stayed happy and charming. In fact during the "off" treatment times you might not even know he was sick if you didn't know. His parents are rock stars and his big brother is awesome! 

I am far away, the other side of the country, so I don't get to be there to be a daily support. I call and check in but it is not the same. So when my school signed up to do St Baldrick's for the 3rd year, I knew it was something I could do to "help". I wanted to do something to make a difference and show this little boy what a hero he is to me.  I am not sure that at 2 he will understand the symbolism behind why I am shaving, but he will know someone else is now bald like him! 

Hair is a simple price to pay if it helps find a cure!

If you feel moved please donate to my head shaving :)

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/579066/2013