Category Archives: News

Times Square Lights Up in Gold for Childhood Cancer

Children fighting cancer won a big battle Tuesday in getting Times Square and other New York City landmarks to glimmer in gold, the color symbolizing the fight against childhood cancers.

Dozens of children, some in remission and some still fighting cancer, showed up to see the electronic billboards change over from advertisements to a message reading: “A day of yellow and gold to fight childhood cancer.”

They remained lit in the golden message for one hour.

Read More…

Teen Diagnosed With Cancer Looks for Cure as Researcher

After being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at age 14, Laruen Bedesky has been fighting the disease as a patient for most of her teen years. It wasn’t until this summer that Bedesky got to fight cancer on an entirely new front — by working in a cancer research lab.

As an intern at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, Bedesky was able to run experiments and explore potential new cancer treatments.

Under the direction of cancer researcher Dr. Dean Lee, Bedesky, she was able to research the same kind of tumor — a type of brain cancer called neuroblastoma, she was diagnosed with in 2012.

Read More…

The kid that inspired the WWE to Go Gold

StephanieMcMahonTwitter

To show support for “Connor the Crusher,” WWE will raise awareness for Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month throughout September with a special campaign. McMahon will turn her social media profiles gold, the internationally recognized color for pediatric cancer awareness, and will proudly display gold ribbons to show her support for finding a cure. Other parts of the campaign to spread awareness have not yet been revealed. Before campaign kicked off Sept. 1, McMahon published an article on Huffington Post Aug. 28 about Connor’s lasting effect on her.

Press Release

Read McMahon’s story about Conner

Presidential Proclamation – National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, 2014

NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, 2014

– – – – – – –

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Each year, pediatric cancer interrupts the childhood and limits the potential of thousands of young Americans. It is estimated that almost 16,000 of our daughters and sons under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and it remains the leading cause of disease-related death for children. This month — in honor of these young patients, their loved ones, and all those who support them — we rededicate ourselves to combating this devastation.

Critical research has led to real progress in the fight against pediatric cancer. Improvements in treatment and increased participation in clinical trials have helped decrease mortality rates for many types of childhood cancer by more than 50 percent over the past 30 years. These gains remind us of the importance of supporting scientific advances, and give us hope for a future free from cancer in all its forms. My Administration continues to invest in long-term research efforts that will build on this progress. As part of this commitment, earlier this year I signed the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which established the 10-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund. I continue to call on the Congress to invest the millions of dollars available in this Fund to support the urgent medical innovation that could lead to life-changing breakthroughs.

As we continue to pursue medical advances, the Affordable Care Act is improving families’ access to quality, affordable health coverage. Childhood cancer can occur suddenly, with no early symptoms, and regular medical checkups can help detect pediatric cancer at an early stage. The Affordable Care Act helps millions of families access this essential medical care, and new protections eliminate annual and lifetime dollar limits on coverage. Insurance companies are also prohibited from denying coverage due to a history of cancer, or any other pre-existing condition, and from denying participation in an approved clinical trial for any life-threatening disease.

During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, our Nation comes together to remember all those whose lives were cut short by pediatric cancer, to recognize the loved ones who know too well the pain it causes, and to support every child and every family battling cancer each day. We join with their loved ones and the researchers, health care providers, and advocates who support them as we work toward a tomorrow where all children are able to pursue their full measure of happiness without the burden of cancer.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2014 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage all Americans to join me in reaffirming our commitment to fighting childhood cancer.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA

whitehouse.gov

For teens with cancer, challenges aren’t simply medical

The teenage years can be tough enough under the best of circumstances. But when cancer invades an adolescent’s life, the challenges grow exponentially.

When the prospects for treatment are uncertain, there’s the fear of dying at so young an age. Even with an excellent chance of being cured, teenagers with cancer face myriad emotional, educational and social concerns, especially missing out on activities and losing friends who can’t cope with cancer in a contemporary.

Read More…

Everyday Hero: 10-year-old sees charity’s ripple effect

Inspired at the age of 2 by her cousin battling cancer, young girl dedicates her time to charity work.

Julia Benedict is not like most other kids: Her childhood aspirations include feeding the hungry, saving the monarch butterfly and helping sick people feel more comfortable.

And she hasn’t even started the fifth grade yet.

The 10-year-old North Tustin resident smiles endlessly at the thought of helping others and beams with pride as she pours over her vast list of volunteer work donating blankets to hospitals, cleaning the beach and collecting cellphones so that military servicemen and women can call their families.

Read More…

Local family founds nonprofit dedicated to pediatric cancer research

The names and stories vary, but the result is often the same family and friends of childhood cancer patients organizing and rallying together to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer research.

“Pediatric cancers are some of the hardest and most aggressive cancers because by the time most children are diagnosed, it’s already spreading,” she said. “If we could solve that and cure that—pull a thread out of the cancer ribbon—I think all of cancer would unravel. If we start with some of the hardest cancers, if we attack them, I believe we will have a huge impact.”

Read More…