YATW blogpost #1: Help find a Cure for Childhood Cancer

The idea I have chosen for my world issue is childhood cancer. This interests me because when most people think of cancer they just think of the illness, but how many actually know all of the struggles that come along with cancer? The financial and emotional issues can sometimes be even more stressful and depressing than the illness itself. Cancer affects many people and causes many different hardships for the whole family. Cancer causes physical stress from the medicines you have to be treated with. The medicines can sometimes even affect your appearance. This can lead to emotional problems, especially when it affects a child. Something like losing hair to a little girl can cause so much pain. Cancer also causes a lot of financial issues within a family. Of course you are willing to do whatever you can and pay whatever is needed in order to help get your loved one healthy again, but what do you do when you don't have the money? It can cause so much stress on a parent especially when they don't have the money to help their child. This is why I am doing this project. Foundations like Alex's Lemonade Stand fund benefits in order to raise money for childhood cancer. No one should ever lose a battle to cancer just because of lack of money. Cancer also affects a family because what do you do when the treatment that your child needs to receive is miles away from where you live? Yes, there are things like the Ronald McDonald House which can give a sick child and their parents a place to stay for the duration of this treatment, but what if there are other children in the family? Are you suppose to just uproot the other children from their home and school, or even worse separate yourself from them for months at a time.? All of this comes into play when someone is diagnosed with cancer and most people don't even realize it. 

This is important to me because a couple years ago my pop had cancer, and coming from experience, it was hard to watch. The medicines caused hair loss, made him tired and weak, and he never really looked or acted like his old self. So I can only imagine how hard it must be for a parent to watch their child go through this, and know that there is really nothing that they can do to help them. 

The idea I have to go out in the world and help with this problem is inspired by my Aunt Natalie and Uncle Albert who are very involved with the Alex Lemonade Stand Foundation. There will be many upcoming benefits, meetings, and events that I can go to with them to video tape and interview several people. I will get a first hand account of how the struggles above really affect not only the sick child, but everyone in the family. One benefit, in December, will take place in a hospital in which we will bring all of the children who have cancer presents for Christmas. This project will show everyone that there is more to cancer than just the sickness and that it affects more than one person. It will also show people the importance of donating to things that help give financial support to families withs kids fighting cancer. 

Alex Lemonade Stand Foundation is a major contributor to fighting childhood cancer. It all started when a young girl fighting cancer, Alexandra Scott, decided she wanted to hold a lemonade stand in which the profits would contribute in fighting childhood cancer. Alex inspired people all over the world to hold their own lemonade stands, and it has been happening ever since. Before Alex passed away she raised, with the help of family and friends, over one million dollars to help find a cure to this disease.  

Below is a link that will allow you, at home, to watch Alex’s video.

Video:  Hear from Alex and others of how it all started

The Ronald McDonald House is one of the most helpful foundations to families with a child fighting cancer. They supply you with a place to live when you have to move for the treatments that your child needs. They also have very kind volunteers working around the clock to not only support you with shelter, but they try to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Click below to visit the website.

http://www.philarmh.org

Saint Jude is one of the most amazing hospitals to donate to. Parents of a child fighting cancer have a lot to worry about, but Saint Jude hospital makes sure that bills aren’t one of them. No one is ever turned down here because of lack of money. Your donations are what save these children. Click below to visit the website.

As I go deeper and deeper into this project I hope to get a better understanding of how cancer affects people from the child’s perspective and from others in the family. I would also like to know, coming from the families themselves, how foundations like Alex Lemonade Stand and The Ronald McDonald House help them and why they are so important. Most importantly, I would like to be able to find out how I can help and how effective I can be by my donations and volunteer work. These families are so appreciative of everything that is set up to help them and I want to be able to show that. Lastly, I want to show everyone that it’s important to donate to benefits like this because it goes a long way and can save a lot of kids’ lives.