Cancer, one of the most feared words in our vocabulary of this time, especially in childhood (Druker 1). Most people when thinking of “childhood cancer” envision very young children, although a “Nation Institute of Health Policy concerning inclusion of children in clinical research defines children as being younger than twenty-one years of age while the Food and Drug Administration considers children to be fifteen years and younger” (Ries 158). That being said, most cancers incidence peak among children occurs during the first year of life (Gurney 149). Some of the most well-known nationwide childhood cancers are leukemia, brain cancer, and other central nervous system cancers (oeconline 1). In conjunction, “the side effects of treatment, which range from heart disease to brain damage, can linger for decades and cost nearly as much as therapy for the original cancer” (USATODAY 1). With the total cost of childhood cancer exceeding many people’s yearly salary, help and support are the main focus for many childhood cancer advocacies (disease.com 1). Therefore, increasing awareness is the first step to raising more advocacy and support for childhood cancer programs and research (StJude.org 2).
Childhood cancer treatment is an excessively pricey dilemma. It ranges from the cost per child to the overall cost. For example, “a new leukemia medication for children who no longer benefit from chemotherapy, costs $45,000 for a three week treatment cycle” (USATODAY 1). With the average time span of cancer treatment ranging from three months to roughly three years the price can climb to multiple figures (compasscare 1). The median cost per day for one child in a pediatric hospital for cancer treatment is nearly $1,000 more than the average...
... middle of paper ...
...ng diagnosed with cancer as a whole. As a refuge for many families, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital takes responsibility for all expenses dealing with immediate medical care that insurance does not cover. As well as immediate medical care coverage, St. Jude’s also distributes other attributes to the family in need, such as housing and payment for outpatient expenses. Since St. Jude’s is run by the donations of donors from around the world, although mostly from around the country, it is vital for the survival and future cure for childhood cancers that we as a nation continue to fuel St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to prosper and thrive. In conclusion, childhood cancer treatment and research is extremely important for the future survival of thousands of childhood lives. Every cent matters when it comes to saving the lives of our future generations.
Pediatric Oncology is at the heart of many organizations. There are many financial and emotional burdens associated with a loved one having cancer, and thanks to these foundations parents and children can sleep a little bit better at night knowing that someone has their back. Some of the more prominent groups that have an impact here in our community are: Alliance for Childhood Cancer, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, CURE Childhood Cancer, and National Cancer Institute (Mccaul). These are organizations that make an impact in the lives of the children battling cancer and their families. Whether an organization has been started in memory of a loved one or to support a college or hospital, organizations like those listed above have
Since the opening of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 1962, survival rates have skyrocketed. The overall cancer survival rate has more than quadrupled since the opening of hospital.
Progress and innovation are key components to discover new possibilities to fight against childhood cancer. To begin with, my interest in healthcare sparked when I was diagnosed with childhood sarcoma cancer at the age of seven. As a cancer
Schneider Uwe, Antony Lomax, and Beate Timmermann. 2008. “Second cancers in children treated with modern radiotherapy techniques.” Radiotherapy and Oncology 89 (2): 135-140. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2008.07.017
Now the reasoning behind the selection of St Jude Children’s Hospital is different. I selected this organization because I wanted to research and document the many different ways that this facility works to develop a cure, or medical resolution in order to provide healthcare relief to the children of today’s generation and the generations to come. It is always inspiring to see, in general, how intense researching and developing healthcare treatments for patients really is. However when working with patients that are no more than a decade old to exhaust efforts in providing them a quality of life that will sustain them, it becomes more personal and
The second most typical tumors found in children are brain tumors. Brain tumors are the primary cause of childhood death as they are escalating in frequency. Doctors have found ways to advance their imaging of these brain tumors to help pinpoint the exact location of the tumors, increasing the chance of the children’s survival (Conway, Asuncion, and DaRasso 1). The diagnosing procedure is a crucial process, helping to gain information about the child’s tumor. Brain tumors range in different types of tumors and forms of treatment that can lead to major effects on the children and their families.
Pediatric oncology has been so very rewarding in many ways, but also so very cruel in a few ways. The good days are great, but the sad days are heartbreaking. But beyond the death and the suffering, there is a whole other layer of
What would life be like if there were no more children to play with as a family? St. Jude’s hospital is definitely the way to go if your child has cancer or another serious disease, they always welcome everyone with open arms. The greatest problem that I see facing society today are kids or babies that are sick and disabled. In order to solve this problem I plan on creating more research programs in my future, volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and donate to St. Jude’s hospital.
Most of us have experienced a time in our lives when we have dealt with the burdens of sickness. Can you think of a time when a loved one has been severely ill? Or of a time when you, yourself, have been in the hospital? Can you imagine not being able to physically be with that sick loved one, or not having your loved ones nearby to support you while you were sick? Now imagine being a parent with a child who has a life-threatening illness, such as cancer. Wouldn’t that be hard? What if your child needs the best care available, but that facility is out of state? Do you send them away and visit every now and then? Do you move? Do you drive hundreds of miles a week for treatments? How can you afford it all? Thousands of families experience these hardships every day. The struggle to accommodate for a child’s healthcare needs is costly and stressful. That is why Ronald McDonald House Charities provide shelter across America for families with hospitalized children who are receiving treatment away from home.
McCaul, Michael. Pediatric Cancer Remains Woefully Underfunded. 16 September 2010 . Capitol Hill Publishing Corporation . February 24 2011 .
Despite major and exciting medical advances – spurring an overall survival rate of 10 percent just fifty years ago to nearly 90 percent today, for many rare forms of childhood cancers, the survival rate is much lower.
No matter who it happens to, any type of cancer is heart breaking. However, one’s heart seems to crack a little bit deeper when you hear a child has been diagnosed. Several forms of cancer can arise during childhood. The most common is called acute lymphoblastic/lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). In fact, it is so common between the ages 0-14, that people refer to it as childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Kanwar, 2013).
Yeoh, C., E. Kiely, and H. Davies. "Unproven treatment in childhood oncology - how far should paediatricians co-operate." Journal of Medical Ethics. v20, n2. June 1994. pp. 75-77.
This hospital focuses on helping children, in particular, children who have cancer or any other life-threatening diseases. “The mission is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay” (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 2017). These children are constantly attached to an IV in the hospital, unlike other children who don’t have any life-threating diseases. These children are unable to enjoy their childhood they way the other children do. This is the reason why we decided to a do a toy drive so with just the little bit of happiness they get when they receive these toys, can help distracted them to where they are and the pain they are going
When one hears the word “cancer”, thoughts about how their previous life is about to change cloud the mind, but when one hears the word cancer for their child, it is a whole different outlook; the affects of childhood cancer are not only taken on by the patients, but also by their families; the affects can range from emotionally to physically, socially to financially, and even educationally. “Childhood cancer is considered rare, especially compared with adults. Still it’s the leading cause of death in children pre-adolescent, school-aged children” (Report: Childhood Cancer Rates Continue to Rise, but Treatment Helps Drive Down Deaths). Around 12,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every year and around one in five children that are diagnosed with cancer will die.