This post has been dying to be written. It has been scratching at the inside of my mind and my heart, but I just could not find the right words. Fortunately, Maya at
wrote a post the other night that gave me a kick in the butt and the radio pushed me over the edge this afternoon.

Let me preface all this with my own personal disclosure: Cancer in general sucks. I totally get it. And I don’t discard the hell people and their family go through when a loved one gets cancer, but for a child to get cancer? A small, helpless child who has not even began to live life? That is just down right evil.

I have felt that for some time. But then, Maya wrote
with a letter she received and it shed light further onto the situation.

Childhood cancer sucks.

Treatment for childhood cancer sucks more.

And she’s completely right. Again, I don’t discount all cancers or treatment for all cancers, but for an adult to go through treatment – it sucks. They go through hell. But put a child in that same treatment. Horrendous.

And what really irked me was when she stated how the White House is pink for breast cancer awareness month (October), but there was no gold for childhood cancer awareness month (September).

That didn’t bother me much until today. Driving home with my 4 year old son. The radio was all about breast cancer walks and donations. I never heard anything on the radio last month about childhood cancer walks or donation.

Then it hit me. Our local grocer (who will remain unnamed at this time because I will address this later after I address the grocer chain itself) started fundraising efforts for Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness last month – September. There was no gold. There was no childhood cancer awareness.

Crap. Pure crap.

There is so much wrong with that I don’t even know where to start! Our children are the future. Our children are just that – children. They shouldn’t have to get cancer, but cancer doesn’t discriminate. They need awareness and funding just as much as breast cancer, but they get none. I have to be honest, this year is the first year I have ever even heard of “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” much less given much thought to childhood cancer. It’s an unspoken illness and that is really a disgrace.

I don’t know if it’s my pregnant hormones taking charge or if I’m bothered that Ronan, a gorgeous little boy who passed away from cancer at the same age as my little boy is now, that has me so irritated right now (probably a combination of both).

It breaks my heart that cancer could strike any of my kids at any time. It could strike your children at any time. Then of course, you will jump up and fight for

your

child, but what about the children that are already fighting or who have lost that fight. Isn’t it only fair that we give children and childhood cancer as much attention, awareness, money and research as breast cancer?

I don’t know about you, but I vow to make childhood cancer my new passion and help in any way I can.