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More Cancer Awareness Articles
Raising Awareness for Childhood Cancer: How Parents Can Support Research Efforts
Childhood cancer is a particularly devastating affliction, with around 400,000 children globally affected by various types of cancers each year. While childhood cancers are broadly similar to adult cancers, they come with a multitude of distinct challenges as most of them involve immature cells. As such, a lot of cancer research and treatments directed at adult cancers are not directly applicable to childhood cancers.
This situation has created multiple compounding obstacles to childhood cancer treatments. Given that the bulk of cancer research funding goes to adult cancers, institutions that focus on childhood cancers often have to contend with limited funding. Another related but equally serious challenge is the lower priority for pharmaceutical companies to self-fund childhood cancer research due to the smaller market and the smaller profit incentives. Smaller patient pools also significantly lengthen the vetting process for promising treatments.
With all that in mind, it’s not surprising then, that childhood cancer treatments are often several years behind in terms of sophistication and effectiveness. For that reason, parents and anyone else who wants to support childhood cancer research must be consistent in pushing their advocacy forward. If you’re new to this cause, here are some important things you can do to help:
1. Make Sustainable Efforts to Raise Awareness
While actively advocating for cancer research and awareness is important, it can be difficult for most people to sustain. For that reason, passive awareness-building is just as important, as it helps you continue building recognition of childhood cancer issues even as you go about your daily business. Simple gestures like putting up lawn signs and bumper stickers or wearing fabric wristbands allow you to continue communicating your cause without actively proselytizing 24/7.
2. Explore the Potential of Digital Promotions
Building awareness beyond your immediate circles is crucial for encouraging donations and policy changes. You can look into digital promotion channels like email campaigns and social media to raise awareness, either by building your own campaigns or supporting existing ones. For maximum effect, you can also explore the peak times to share info on childhood cancer statistics, such as during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September) and during the holidays.
3. Donate to Research Foundations
Regular financial donations are a direct way to support research efforts. Check out the avenues for donating offered by leading research organizations like the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO). These foundations fund clinical trials, drug development, and innovative therapies that specifically target childhood cancers.
4. Volunteer for Events
If you have spare time, you can dedicate it to helping research organizations and hospitals raise funds. Many of these organizations hold fundraising events like walks, marathons, or charity drives to get extra donations for childhood cancer research and other worthwhile areas.
5. Encourage Participation in Clinical Trials
Money is just part of the challenge. Clinical trials on larger numbers of patients are crucial for developing new treatments. If your child is diagnosed with cancer, consider enrolling them in a clinical trial. Your child may get access to the latest treatments and, just as importantly, they will also contribute valuable data that can help other children with similar conditions.
6. Partner with Schools and Communities
Schools and community groups are excellent platforms for organizing educational talks and fundraising events because they are also full of parents and educators who can relate to your love of your child. In most instances, partnering with these groups is a critical step in raising local awareness and encouraging other individuals to be involved in supporting childhood cancer research.
7. Participate in Corporate Matching Programs
Many companies have corporate social responsibility programs that match employee donations to non-profit organizations. If your workplace offers such a program, talk to the stakeholders and see if they can direct their donations to childhood cancer research foundations.
8. Talk to Your Local and State Representatives About Advocating for Policy Changes
The lack of market incentives means that governmental support for childhood cancer research is much more critical than it is for adult cancers. Contacting local legislators or joining advocacy groups helps push for legislation that increases funding for pediatric cancer research and promotes policies that make clinical trials more accessible to the children who need it.
9. Cultivate New Talents in Child Oncology
Lastly, there can be no research without researchers. If you have funds or connections, leveraging these to support research fellowships and pediatric oncology programs is a key role you can play. Ensuring that young scientists receive the funding they need to carry out important studies is, perhaps, the biggest bang for the buck out there when it comes to this advocacy.
Become a Driving Force for Childhood Cancer Research
While it would be ideal for everyone to be involved in childhood cancer research, parents have a key role in keeping research and collective interest in treatments alive and well. Fortunately, outside of traditional fundraising methods, parents now have more means to guarantee that childhood cancer remains a top priority, not just for medical researchers but for ordinary people as well. Regardless of how you offer your support, just know that every dollar and minute offered is well-spent.
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