Children Deserve To Live
Our world is in the middle of a huge battle with the Coronavirus. The statistics are staggering on the number of people affected by the virus, whether a person is vaccinated or not. As the germ mutates, even children are being negatively impacted. It’s affected all areas of our lives.
There’s another ‘germ’ in our midst that from a childhood perspective, sometimes get a little overlooked. Childhood Cancer. Statistics indicate it has become the number one killer of children by disease. The information regarding this monster beast, like the Coronavirus, is also astounding. It is estimated that over 15,000 children, from birth to age 19 are diagnosed with Cancer every year in the US. Of this number about 20% of these children will not survive. I have a hard time even processing this information!
I had five children and can’t imagine the trauma that must come with the news that my little person could have such a mountain to climb. While I never experienced this grief, I mourn for all those lost and for all the families who face this trial, every single year.
There are varied opinions why our little people are deluged with this kind of viper. While some will tell you diet plays a large role in the cell breakdown of children, others claim it’s our environment, given all the pesticides used on plants, and toxins found in our homes.
It is possible diet may play a role during pregnancy. It’s common knowledge (although often ignored) that eating lots of red or processed meat is not good for you, given the hormone, synthetic additives and salt hidden within. We know that junk food and sugar all are best left alone, when we consider all the chemicals found in their pretty little packages, which has the ability to tantalize our taste buds. All these factors affect a child being carried within the womb.
Others will tell you, however, like St. Jude research hospital that nearly 10% of these children inherited a genetic mutation. Read (https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/childhood-cancer-awareness-month.html#statistics) for the full article.
Regardless of how a child develops cancer, they and their families suffer. They endure pain, fear, medical therapies and expenses among other trials, during their journey, in an attempt to recover. Even when recovery comes, however, it isn’t the end of the process. Most will have residual problems the rest of their lives, creating days when they are in agony, due to the manifestation of the cruelty their body has endured.
One teenaged survivor shared how she was bullied after her recovery. Her peers believed she was faking the issues she was having in school. This is horrific! No one wants to feel this bad! All children want and deserve the right to live happy and productive lives.
Cancer has a way of hiding from an outsider’s eyes. It causes pain and discomfort in ways a victim hadn’t expected, even after the ‘disease’ is officially no longer in their body. There are long time effects that can’t be seen by anyone—- but hauntingly real to the one still fighting to stay on top!
Disabilities come in many forms and sometimes it’s an invisible disability. As onlookers, we need to be cognizant of the person who parks in handicapped parking even when to our inexperienced eyes, we don’t see the problem they are facing. I know there are those who will abuse the use of the handicap placard, but I’d like to think that compassion is more often honored, even when we can’t see the disability.
#ChildhoodCancerAwareness #ChildhoodCancer #ChildrenDeserveToLive #CancerKillerOfChildren #InvisibleDisability #LifelongMedicalProblems #CancerStealsOurChildren