Some Simple Facts...

...About Childhood Cancer:

  • 1 in 330 children are diagnosed before age 20. 
  • There are few factors that change susceptibility to childhood cancer.  It doesn't discriminate by race, ethnicity or socio-economic standing.
  • 1 in 5 children diagnosed with cancer die within 5 years.  
  • Additional children with cancer who die after 5 years are considered "survivors" in many statistics.  Children who fall into this category include Ariel, Per, and Jack, who died at 14, 9, and 8, respectively, but more than 5 years after diagnosis.  
  • If we take into account all children who die from childhood cancer, or from effects of cancer treatment, survival is only 66%.  
  • Half of these survivors (33% of all those diagnosed) suffer debilitating or severe long-lasting side effects from treatment, including kidney failure, heart and lung problems, retarded growth, emotional and behavior problems, and even secondary cancers.
  • Childhood Cancer is the LEADING cause of disease-related death in children in the US, killing more than pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, athsma and congenital heart defects COMBINED.
  • 7 children die everyday from childhood cancer.  
  • 1 new drug has been approved for childhood cancer treatment in the last 20 years.  In the meantime, incidence of childhood cancer has increased 29%.

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