By: Lindsey Gross

This September, help spread the word about childhood cancer and how our foundation helps local kids fight off cancer! Rally friends, family and community members to raise awareness and donate to support a local child. The national symbol of childhood cancer is the gold ribbon and NNCCF is giving away free gold ribbon pins to anyone who wants to wear and support during the month of September.

There are many people in our community who are unaware about childhood cancer and how often it affects children right here in northern Nevada. Our foundation receives an average of 40 new kids each year, and the average length of treatment is three years. That means at any given point in the year we are assisting roughly 120 families who have a child in active treatment. These families are your neighbors; shop at the same grocery stores and eat at the same restaurants. They could be the car next to you in morning traffic, or in front of you ordering a tall coffee. You wouldn’t know they have a child fighting cancer, but our nonprofit can equip you with the tools to help them through their battle.

Speak – Tell your family, friends, coworkers and community members that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and let them know how many children are affected in our community.

Organize – Host a fundraiser during September and get creative! Find out more ways to host a fundraiser.

Share – Wear a gold ribbon pin, share using social media and use the hashtag #KnowTheGold. This helps broaden our reach to other potential advocates in northern Nevada. Like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Without support from the community, our foundation would not be able to help local children battling cancer with financial and emotional help. The average out-of-pocket cost for a family in the first year of treatment is $10,000. Families also face many unforeseen expenses such as medical bills not covered by insurance, travel expenses, and equipping the home for an immunocompromised child. We are grateful for our supporters and companies that help our foundation make supporting these families possible.

1. Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S.
   It’s the second leading cause of death (following accidents) in children ages 5-14.

2. Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer.
   That’s 300,000 kids around the world every year.

3. In 80% of kids with cancer, the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body by the time it is diagnosed.
   That’s why so many children with cancer need to begin treatment right away. Many adult cancers can be diagnosed early.

4. One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive.
   For the ones who do, the battle is never over.

5. Because of the treatments they had as kids, by the time they’re in their 30s or 40s, more than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a chronic health problem and 80% will have severe or life- threatening conditions. Cancer facts provided by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Children should not only survive, but thrive. Help us raise awareness and funds this September. Let’s support local children battling cancer to grow up cancer free! If you would like more information on how to participate and support the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation and our families please contact us, we would love to hear from you!