Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

• Every day, 36 children are diagnosed with cancer.
• The average age of children diagnosed is six.
• More than 40,000 children undergo treatment for cancer each year.

At certain points during difficult things, there are two questions that enter one's mind .
One: What am I going to learn from this?
Two: What am I going to DO about it?

We focus a lot on Number One on our blog because we want to remember what we are learning while our number one priority is Keith. Once the intense part of Keith's treatment is over, we will be focusing as a family more on Number Two. In an effort to focus more on the "doing" even right now, I've compiled a list of ideas for any of us who would like to get more involved in helping children and their families fight against and cope with cancer. I'm positive I've missed several things, so if you know of something, please let me know!

1) Donate money for children's cancer research. Curesearch.org  If you donate $36 this month, you are entered into a drawing for some vacations. Also, donations are matched by sponsors this month!

2) Volunteer with a local cancer organization. Here in the Portland area, it's the Children's Cancer Assocation . You can volunteer for a fundraising event or a community event in support of families dealing with childhood cancer. If you aren't sure what's available in your area, you can start with the American Children's Cancer Organization, the largest grassroots children's cancer organization in the U.S.

3) Give the gift of music. Purchase songs on iTunes through MyMusicRX.org and iTunes will donate up to 5% of proceeds to the Children's Cancer Association. Other examples of gifting music to local children coping with cancer can be found here.

4) Participate in a Fun Run/Walk, Bike Ride, etc. There are so many out there. Here are a few:                
     a) Find a Curesearch Walk near you.
     b) You can walk or ride your bike to support the National Brain Tumor Society.
     c) Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk (in Oregon and Idaho)
     d) Hood to Coast Relay (supports the American Cancer Society)
     e) Crowdrise and Runner's World have compiled a list of cancer charities with a running connection here.

5) Donate your hair. Each organization has different guidelines which you can check out by following the links below. My sisters and I are planning a hair-cutting party when Keith finishes up his treatment next Spring. (I opted OUT of the family head-shaving party but I'm opting IN on the hair donation.) If anyone out there would like to join us, start growing out your hair!
     a) Locks of Love For children who have lost hair from various types of medical conditions/treatments.
     b) Childhood Leukemia Foundation
     c) Pantene Beautiful Lengths For all cancer patients, not necessarily children.

6) Create your own event. My friend Alison and I are in the very early stages of creating a Family Fun Run/Walk in our area. If you are interested in volunteering, sponsoring, and/or participating, let me know. More details to come when things slow down a wee bit. Number one priority right now is Keith.






Keith, by the way, is sleeping away as he receives Round 4 of chemotherapy. He has been doing great. He's standing a lot more and walking a little bit with help. He has one purple "boot" and one green "boot" this week and he loves showing them to everyone. He and Cole cannot stop talking about Halloween. Keith changes his mind every second about who he is going to be.  It's been so great to see him be a kid and enjoy feeling so well these last 2 weeks. He's excited to have his Dad spend the night with him tonight in the hospital.
Also of note, Keith ate a Dove dark-chocolate today. The whole thing. I was self-medicating this afternoon when I offered him some. He shared mine and then ate a whole one by himself! I'm convinced chocolate is for everyone and heals everything.  I've got to find a way to fit chocolate into a fundraising event. Hmmm...