The National Children’s Cancer Society Steps Up During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) September 10, 2014 -- More than 15,000 children will be diagnosed with cancer this year and The National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS) is stepping up its battle to make sure children get the treatment they need to courageously face the disease and live victoriously after diagnosis.
As part of September’s National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the NCCS joins medical, scientific and nonprofit organizations nationwide to highlight the ongoing need for research, education and support services that benefit pediatric cancer patients and their families. The NCCS recently launched its annual “Face-Off Against Cancer” campaign, pitting the East and West halves of the country against each other in a fundraising challenge that has raised nearly $80,000 in financial aid for children with cancer in the past three years. Learn more and Join the Face-Off at the NCCS Facebook page.
“We were founded upon the principle that every child with cancer deserves a chance to live, and since 1987 we have been aggressively pursing that goal,” said NCCS President and CEO Mark Stolze. “As public support for the NCCS continues to increase, so will the financial aid and menu of services we provide for children and their families, both during and after treatment.”
The NCCS has given has distributed over $60 million in direct financial assistance to more than 36,000 children with cancer. Today, the NCCS continues their mission by providing emotional, financial and educational support to children and their families. The NCCS also partners with pharmaceutical companies to provide donated drugs and medical supplies to facilities that treat children with cancer, and offers college scholarships to childhood cancer survivors.
“Our commitment to children with cancer and their families is to meet both their immediate and long-term needs,” said Stolze. He noted the organization’s Beyond the Cure program that helps pediatric cancer survivors find support for any ongoing medical problems and thrive emotionally and physically as they move toward adulthood.
There will be an estimated 15,780 new cases of cancer diagnosed this year and is the leading cause of death by disease in children, according to NCCS. While much progress has been made in fighting childhood cancer in the United States, many survivors face remaining challenges, including long-term health problems. Two-thirds of all children who survive cancer can suffer from a number of “late effects” including seizures, learning disabilities, hormone imbalances, thyroid issues and secondary cancers.
“Progress has been made with many cancers,” said Pam Gabris, a registered nurse and coordinator of the NCCS’s Beyond the Cure program, ”but we must step up the fight to find cures where none still exist. The goal of the NCCS is to provide support and help to every child and family facing pediatric cancer so they are not alone in the difficult journey through childhood cancer.”
The mission of The National Children's Cancer Society is to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and their families worldwide. To learn more about NCCS and its support services for children with cancer and their families, visit thenccs.org. For information and resources for survivors, including a Late Affects Assessment Tool and college scholarship opportunities, visit beyondthecure.org. Visit the NCCS on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thenccs.
Lori Millner, National Children's Cancer Society, http://www.thenccs.org, +1 314-446-5247 Ext: 247, [email protected]
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