My heart and mind go to all children and families battling the good fight of a childhood cancer diagnosis. Nothing is easy about it, but if families are willing to use the plethora of resources available all over the USA and beyond, it all helps lessen the load mentally, financially, and emotionally.
We were one of these families for years, and we took advantage of the available resources in our area. Many thanks to the social workers and art therapists at Georgetown University Hospital (now MedStar Georgetown), who helped guide us through the processes needed to get the right help when we needed it most.
Today, there are many programs nationwide that cater to families where the zip codes do not matter. That is a huge blessing. The power of social media and the websites designed to help cancer kids also enable parents (and older children patients) to find the help they seek. Foundations that help pay bills to respite weekends, camps, and entertainment, there is something for just about everyone (including siblings).
Last year, on this date, my family and I volunteered at the Just Tryan It Kids Triathalon at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. Racers from 5 to 14 years old raise money for cancer kids and their families to help ease the financial burdens that families have faced for far too long. The same event is tomorrow, and we will be there once again to volunteer and cheer on the racers.
I'll end Childhood Cancer Awareness Month with the video from last year's JTI race! It was a fitting end to a great month of Awareness, and feel it is appropriate for today, too.
bSoleille!
Terri
