Families, caregivers, charities and research groups across the United States observe September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In the U.S., 12,400 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed every year. A diagnosis turns the lives of the entire family upside down. The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children and importantly to help raise funds for research and family support.
awareness
September
is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
signs and symptoms
Continual, unexpected weight loss
Headaches, often with vomiting – at night or early morning
Increased swelling, or persistent pain in bones, joints, back or legs
Lump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis, or armpits
Development of excessive bruising, bleeding or rash
Constant infections
A whitish color behind the pupil
Nausea which persists or vomiting without nausea
Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness
Eye or vision changes which occur suddenly and persist
Recurrent fevers of unknown origin
facts
- By the age of 20, one child or teen in 330 is diagnosed with cancer.
- Each year 12,400 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed in the United States.
- More children die of cancer than of any other disease, including asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and AIDS, COMBINED.
- In general, the overall five-year relative survival rate (the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) of children with cancer is around 80%.
- Childhood cancer occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
- Every two minutes a parent hears the devastating news, “Your child has cancer.”
- The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented.
- Leukemia’s and cancers of the brain and central nervous system account for more than half of childhood cancers.
More information can be found on the National Cancer Institute website.
helpful links
Includes links to additional resources helpful to families during their childhood cancer journey.
Proclamation on National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, 2024
Presidential Proclamation — National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, 2024
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