Last year on this date, the last day of August, I was reading the Presidential Proclamation declaring September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. It was then that I realized how big pediatric cancer really was and how foolish it was for anybody to call the #1 disease killer a petty criminal that rarely devastated families lives like mine. By this time, since my own son's diagnosis with A.L.L. I had come to know 7 children who had or would pass away from cancer. As a way of declaring to the world my cause for children like Ethan, Faith, Gabby, R.J. Brennan, Lennon and Daniella, I rolled out the Red Carpet for these young Hero's to Celebrate them as they fought courageously through their journeys. Little did I know that one year later over 1000 people would faithfully follow these Celebrity Kids and look forward to seeing their glorious smiling faces with each new birthday, news of N.E.D. or even professional photographs taken in their honor. Eventually the Red Carpet Kids themselves would begin to make history sharing the Joy of Jessie Rees in N.E.G.U. (never ever giving up) and witnessing the face of childhood cancer in 2012 through the story and video blogs of 13 year old Talia Joy.
This September it is time to Declare something new for our kids fighting against pediatric cancer. It is time to declare to the American public and around the world the Truth that has been hidden for several decades, that childhood cancer is Not Rare. The numbers speak aloud that 50 children will die in all 50 states and thousands more will be diagnosed and lose the life that every child should be able to live because funding for critical research has been a fraction of what adult cancers receive. The Truth is that cancer can affect any child including newborns and can steal any life from families that never saw it coming. Everyone says that it won't be my child but no one knows for sure with children and it can happen at any age 0-18.
This year I Declare that the Truth will be revealed on September 13th which is National Cancer Awareness Day in a film backed by a social media campaign that will shine a bright spot light on the universe of childhood cancer. There are so many ways that people can help in this effort from signing the petition demanding and increase in funding from the National Cancer Institute, to sharing real, personal and heartbreaking stories stealing the attention of those hooked on reality TV shows. The news channels won't show these children because some foolish criminal will make them more money. That is why now more than ever, these Red Carpet Celebrities need to shine like American Olympic Gold Medalists as they stand with the few that would fight aggressively with them on their journey.
My Declaration is not my own, but with the voice of thousands we can make known the Truth 365 days of the year, day in and day out that we will find a cure for our kids because there is Nothing more important for our future, nothing. Declare with me today, I will fight for a child's right to have as much funding for research as any other adult cancer diagnosis because kids can't do it alone. Know the Truth September 2012 and never stop sharing it.
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