The real problem
"Your child has cancer" – 4 words that crush a family. Panic and isolation set in. Treatments begin right away, often many miles from home. Parents stop work for caregiving and financial burdens mount. Children's Cancer Partners provides immediate emotional, navigation and financial support to help frightened families on their cancer journey. They are never alone.
Why this all matters so much
Cancer remains the #1 disease killer of children.
Cancer will remain the #1 disease killer of Carolina children in the year ahead. Over 700 Carolina children and youth ages birth to 18 will be diagnosed, joining an estimated 11,000 already in treatment, remission or survivorship.
there are too few pediatric oncology hospitals.
Nationwide, only 201 hospitals treat childhood cancers. In the Carolinas, just 10. Since none of these facilities have all the latest treatments and technologies, as many as 1 in 5 children must be referred to national research centers in Houston, New York, Philadelphia or beyond.
Children of rural or poor families face 3x greater risk for missed or late diagnosis, incomplete treatment, and relapse.
In two income households, one parent leaves work for caregiving, while one income and single parent households are all too quickly in financial crisis. Data shows that 75% of childhood cancer families suffer the loss of half or more of their income.
Barely 4% of all cancer research dollars are for children.
While immuno- and proton-therapies are showing great promise for pediatric cancer patients, any new research breakthroughs are unlikely in the year ahead, since barely 4% of cancer research is targeted at pediatric cancers.
1 in 5 children will not survive 5 years after diagnosis.
“Whereas cancer survival is officially measured as 5 years beyond treatment,” notes Children's Cancer Partners, “that is not especially meaningful for children whose average age at diagnosis is 6.”