Are You Aware?

 
September is over, which brings Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to a close.  Did you do something to spread awareness this month?  If not, you still have plenty of time...these children need our support year round, not just in September.  What does awareness mean anyways?  A fellow Neuroblastoma mom, that I met through Facebook, did a radio interview this month and was asked this question from a caller.  

"I'm trying to figure out how me personally being aware of any cancer helps anyone? My boss has cancer and I'm aware, but I'm not a doctor and don't have money to donate, so how much can just awareness do? A friend of mine's son had cancer and they replaced his leg with metal and he was 10. I'm aware of that also, but again, my awareness did nothing to help this child either. Isn't reaching out to people with money to donate more of a help than just being aware?"

At first, this made me mad, but really it's a very good question.  What good is awareness anyways?  What if you don't even have an extra $5 this month to donate?  There is still plenty you can do.  The point of spreading awareness, as I see it, is to teach people who have never been close to a child with cancer what it truly means for them and their family.  If you are really, truly aware and know what these children go through every day to fight for their lives, you  will do something...anything.  So, what can you do?  Here are some of my ideas.


1. Spread awareness.  Give these children a face and a voice.  Get the word out there.  Maybe you don't have any money to donate, but someone does.  The more you spread the word, the better the chance that the information will get to those that do have the money to contribute.


2. Volunteer your time.  There are so, so, so many ways and places to volunteer.  You may not have any extra money to donate to an organization that raises money for children with cancer, but do you have an extra hour a week?  How about an hour a month?  Whatever time you have will be valued.  These organizations rely on volunteers to make miracles happen.


3. Make a child smile or make the family's day easier.  Do you know a family with a sick child?  How about a friend of a friend of a friend?  Can you make a meal, run an errand, babysit their other children, do a load of laundry, sit at the hospital with the sick child so the parent can get a brief break?  So many people have done so many nice things for us, we surely would have gone crazy already without all the help.  If you are lucky enough to not be close to anyone with a sick child, then go to your local children's hospital and volunteer to get to know some children.  I guarantee spending an hour of your day on the oncology floor of a children's hospital, will change your life forever.


4. Use your talents.  Maybe you don't have any extra funds in your bank account to contribute, but you can be creative.  Have a garage sale, make something for a craft fair, hold a bake sale or a lemonade stand.  Use a little of your time and talents to raise some money for sick children.  I'm sure it will be time well spent.  Maybe you only raise $50.  It's still $50 more than the organization had before your efforts and lots of little things add up to big, big things.


5. Donate blood, platelets and sign up for the bone marrow registry.  I've donated blood before, because people need blood...right?  I never really gave a ton of thought to where this blood was going.  In the last three months, Nate has had 5 blood and 2 platelet transfusions.  Each round of chemo, knocks out the blood making system in his bone marrow.  He gets shots every day to help his white blood cells recover, but the only way to help his red blood cells and platelets, is to get transfusions. Donating blood has taken on a whole new meaning.  Please, take some time and donate.  I have also thought for years about signing up for the bone marrow registry.  My only hesitation was that if they needed my marrow, I would be put under anesthesia and it would hurt.  Really?!?  It would hurt?!?  What the heck was wrong with me?!?  These brave little souls fight every day to stay alive and I was afraid of a big needle?!?  Nate is lucky enough that he will be able to receive his own stem cells, but many more children (and adults) rely on donor marrow to LIVE.  Go sign up!  Maybe you'll be lucky enough to be chosen...it will hurt a little...but you will always know that you helped to save someone's life.


Those are my ideas.  If you have any more, feel free to leave them in the comments.  I am also going to work on a list of great children's cancer charities, in case someone does have some money they would like to donate.  So please, don't let September end...keep spreading the word...kids get cancer too.


P.S.
Nate's first day of round 4 has been smooth sailing.  He's fighting like the super hero he is and we pray that this will continue to be as easy on him as possible.