The Fight for Gold #awareness

Image courtesy of Brightlobe (check them out on Facebook!)

So far this month, 612 children have been taken hostage, and 204 more children are dead.  But I cannot find any news reports of it anywhere…

We are 17 days into September, which is International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  I’ve been going crazy on Facebook posting about it, and trying to think of ways to make a bigger impact.  I think the way in is through the National Cancer Institute.  They only give around 3% of their annual budget to childhood cancer research, and they think that an 80% cure rate” is acceptable.  But it’s not.  It’s misleading.  Think of it this way:  Every three and a half minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer.  And every four minutes, a child dies of cancer.

Horrified yet?

What would you say if I told you that there was a petition to turn the White House GOLD on the White House petition site, and President Obama turned his back on the kids, despite being practically bombarded with kids with cancer since his first term?  There wasn’t even a reason given in the response.  But I just know that the White House will turn pink next month for Breast Cancer Awareness.

I am trying really, really, really hard to find it in my heart to forgive the President, but it is difficult… But I know God is good, and He has a plan.  Just trust, right?  I trust you, Jesus.  People in general have their own agendas, and their actions are based on that, but You, Lord, are sovereign and good, and you have each and every one of these precious children in Your loving hands.  They say the streets of Heaven are gold…  And You know, of course, that every single child is more precious than gold.  You know that because you made them.  You place a value on their little lives that is much, much, much, much more than the value that the world places on them.  So yes, I trust you.  

At the end of last month, I went through the pages on Facebook that I have liked and follow and through my friends list, and counted the number of children who have passed away to this monster called cancer.  It is unbelievable.  I am at 168 and still counting.  I have decided to honor these children the only way I know how…  by taking their pictures and making collages out of them on my laptop.  Parents are still contacting me, wanting me to include their child.  I always say yes, of course I will include them.   Please, do not hesitate to contact me if you want me to include your little one.  I have been posting the collages on my awareness page on Facebook and sharing them to my personal profile, and I think I will put them on here, as well.

Someone commented I should print these collages out and send them to the White House…  Maybe then, they will start to listen and do something.  Lighting the White House gold would have been a great start…  but the White House is not the only thing that matters…  Buildings across the globe are lighting up gold…  Australia, Ireland, etc.  President Obama has declared September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and between that and the Affordable Health Care Act, that is all he seems willing to do.  But we are taking it a step further and asking our state governors to declare September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, to issue a proclamation.  It’s a small thing, but it’s something.  It’s a start.

We do not need anymore childhood cancer foundations.  Instead, we need to unite as ONE.  We need to join forces with one another. Whatever Susan G. Komen For the Cure has done and is doing is working, because look at how big and widespread breast cancer awareness is.  We can learn from them.  The NCI thinks they have childhood cancer “handled” and under control because of the misleading “80% cure rate.”  It’s far from under control.  CHILDHOOD CANCER IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH BY DISEASE IN THIS COUNTRY.  Does that sound like it’s under control to you?

It would be amazing to see the NFL and MLB go gold like they go pink.  But they refuse.  Why?  Would it hurt their ticket sales?

It would be amazing to hear President Obama admit that he made a mistake and to see the White House shine bright as the sun against the night sky.  Anything’s possible.  Nobody knows what tomorrow holds.

There is good in people, but the fact remains that most of the world is totally in the dark when it comes to the fact that childhood cancer is as rampant as it is.  On a worldwide scale, the statistics make me physically ill.  What kind of world is this, that people can ignore the children?  They are our future!

I just don’t understand any of it, but I press on.  I am a voice for the voiceless.  I hear their cries and I see their faces.  Always, I see them.  I will fight for gold until my last breath if that is what it takes.  They need me.  They need you.  They need everyone to know what the gold ribbon stands for.  We need to take action against this monster.

They need cures sooner rather than later.  Will you help?