I was maybe eleven or twelve years old, when I first knew of a parent to lose a child to cancer. A family in my community had a little girl who was very ill. I knew she had cancer, but not what kind. I understood she was suffering, and her parents were working hard to care for her.
That little girl passed away, and I remember seeing her father in the days, weeks, months and even years after; always amazed by how positive he always remained. At my age, I couldn’t comprehend the depth of child loss, the unique experience of caring for a child with cancer, or how grief manifests itself in many ways.
I wish I could say that little girl would be the last time I knew of a child lost to cancer, but year after year, a family I know — whether from my “real life” or online community — has to bear the unbearable and mourn the death of a child to this horrible disease.
What inspires me most about so many of these families is how even in the face of unspeakable grief they find hope and the will to seek out ways to help others dealing with a child’s cancer diagnosis. As a parent, I can say, most of us would do almost anything for our children, and it is no surprise parents are often at the forefront of movements to better our world.
Parents like John London and Scott Kennedy, the co-founders of Solving Kids’ Cancer.
Inspired by their children Penelope (John’s daughter) and Hazen (Scott’s son), who even while dealing with their own illness, remained hopeful other kids wouldn’t have to suffer, John and Scott came together in 2007 to form a foundation dedicated to addressing the unique issues of childhood cancer.
Solving Kids’ Cancer advocates for more comprehensive research and better clinical trials, as well as identifying gaps in funding and ensuring money is directed to the most critical areas for advancing cancer treatment. The foundation seeks to connect all involved — from doctors, to nonprofits, to parents — to form a unified approach in tackling childhood cancer.
“Through research advocacy, we can rapidly increase the number of research projects which have high potential for significant impact. Additionally, funders can make better use of their philanthropic dollars by investing in projects that have the highest potential to benefit children. ”
– Scott Kennedy, co-founder, SKC
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is why Blogging For Better chose SKC SKC as its featured nonprofit for this month. We encourage you to follow #bloggingforbetter across your social channels to learn how you can support Solving Kids’ Cancer.
As a special bonus, if you donate through their website this month, SKC will send you a pair of gold shoelaces in honor of its Lace Up For Kids campaign.
You can also show your support for Solving Kids’ Cancer and raise awareness for childhood cancer by participating in Glow Gold Day on September 20. Just share a picture of yourself and/or friends and family wearing gold or yellow with the hashtag #GlowGoldDay.
With your help, we can raise awareness about childhood cancer, and make sure no family ever again has to lose a child.
SKC serves as a means for families to learn more about the latest advances in Cancer research as well as a valuable resource for tools on how to advocate for their children and find the support they need.