Childhood Cancer Awareness

    I'm not sure how many people know that childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children; or how many know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month; or how many know that only 3% of funds raised for research for cancer go to childhood cancer. 3%. I know that I was completely oblivious, or perhaps I should say ignorant, of all of these facts until last September when I heard Taylor Swift's song "Ronan." This beautiful, heartbreaking song is about a four year old boy who lost his life to a harsh form of childhood cancer and his mother. This song is not hypothetical--it is true. Ronan Thompson was a real boy, and his family is continuously trying to live in a world without their sweet boy. This isn't something made up to tell a sad story. No, this is REAL, and we should all be made aware of the fact that children die EVERYDAY because of childhood cancer. Innocent, sweet children who haven't even had a chance to live yet! How can so many people be so unaware?? Everyone in the world knows that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but how many can say they know what September is? Or that the representing color is gold? In October, the White House is lit up pink, shouldn't gold mark this house in September? This is exactly what Ronan's mom, Maya Thompson is trying to make happen. A petition has been started to get Washington DC's attention that we want as much awareness for childhood cancer as all the other cancers, and that starts with making EVERYONE aware by lighting the White House GOLD in September.
    I can't say exactly why this cause is so important to me, for I don't really know. Maybe its the fact that children should not have their innocence interrupted and tore apart by such a cruel disease; or that children are our FUTURE, and we are not doing nearly enough to save them. I do know that it makes me sick to see hundreds of people "like" a status on facebook about someone getting a new haircut, but ONE like on a post about Childhood Cancer Awareness and a petition to make others aware. Where are our priorities? Are we really so shallow as to ignore what is right in front of us? Take a step back, and find what is actually important in our lives. please copy this link to sign the petition, it only takes about two minutes! <https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/light-white-house-gold-month-september-honor-pediatric-cancer-fighters-and-bring-light-cause/syV6M6wX>