~A Bitter Swallow~

Taken from - CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation


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The Impact of Childhood Cancer

• Cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease in children, cutting short the lives of more children under the age of 20 than any other disease.
• 1 child out of 5 who is diagnosed with cancer dies.
　
• 3 out of 5 children suffer from long-term side effects.
　
• Every school day, 46 young people, or two classrooms of students, are diagnosed with cancer in this country. More than 12,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year and over 40,000 children and adolescents currently are being treated for childhood cancers.
　
• The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is six years old; saving the life of a child with cancer gives our children a future; approximately, 66 years of life’s milestones and dreams to celebrate.


Only Research Cures Childhood Cancer

• Each day that cooperative group pediatric cancer research goes under funded the road to discovering new treatments and cures become longer, putting more children at risk.
　
• For the first time since its founding, the decrease in funding to the Children’s Oncology Group moves research to a dangerous level where studies and accompanying laboratory research that hold promise will not take place.
　
• Reduce Enrollment in Clinical Trials: The COG reduced enrollment in our clinical trials by 400 patients in 2007 and put about 20 new studies on hold indefinitely related to resources available to fund them.
　
• At a time when breakthroughs can be made in treating all childhood cancer and the quality of life for children with cancer improved, the continued decline in government funding will endanger the development of new clinical trials and threaten progress in curing childhood cancer.


About CureSearch

• Through public education, advocacy and fundraising, CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation supports the work of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the world’s largest cooperative cancer research organization that treats more than 90% of all children with cancer.
　
• The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) unites the best of the academic and clinical research worlds to move the most promising treatments from the lab into clinical trials. This association of more than 5,000 dedicated experts in childhood cancer research and treatment are located at more than 235 leading Children’s Hospitals, the finest University Hospitals and Cancer Centers in the United States. By working together, cure rates are improved at a much faster pace than any one individual or single institution could accomplish alone.
　
• The COG sets the standard of care and allows children with cancer to be treated close to home.
　
• A high level of participation in clinical trials, combined with the quick sharing of information through the Children’s Oncology Group has led to phenomenal improvements in childhood cancer survival rates.
　
• Fifty years ago, a diagnosis of childhood cancer was once a death sentence. Today, as a result of the research of the COG, the cure rate is 78% overall. However, still too many children continue to die.
　
• Together, CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children’s Oncology Group are committed to conquering childhood cancer through scientific discovery and compassionate care – until we reach the day when every child with cancer is cured and cancer can be prevented.
Each Child Deserves a Chance to Live a Whole Life: We Can Reach the Day When Every Child with Cancer is Guaranteed a Cure!
• The story of childhood cancer is simple—we are within reach of a cure. Medical research tells us that with proper funding levels – we can conquer childhood cancer.
　
• CureSearch is striving to give each child diagnosed with a cancer a whole lifetime of dreams and milestones to celebrate. The death of one more child to cancer is one too many.


For additional information, please visit: www.curesearch.org or email us at info@curesearch.org.