Almost...... 7 more treatments to go and we'll be home in 9 days...if weather permits. 11 more days and my baby will see 5 years on this earth! As I stated to a lady recently...many people in this world as saddened when their kids birthdays come around. They want them to stay 4 or 5. To keep them little, in their grasp, safe and not let them grow up. Yes, I understand missing that "littleness". But, once you become the mom of a child with cancer, you celebrate (perhaps "overly" celebrate) that achievement. You can't wait for your child to be 6......13........18.......30.....60. You long for them to reach that next year, that next step, that next milestone. I know their may be time when I look at her and I only wish that Ivee could be a normal child.... eating, walking, standing, able to get around, going potty on her own. BUT, if I have to beg her to try food (like many parents have to do anyway), if I have to help her to get around the house in a wheelchair or pick her up to put her in her walker (even if she's 100 pounds), even if I have to change her diaper til she's 15, I'll take it. I'll take every ugly word she might say to me when she's 16 and wants to do what her other friends are doing. I'll take her moments of rebellion. I'll take her need to become independent, even when she can't be, and she throws a fit! I'll take the gagging and the obsessive compulsive ways that she hates food on someones mouth. I'll take her OCD tendencies that tend to make her difficult to play games with. And I'll take her ability to teach me patience, being that she is a child that takes her own time and is never in a hurry (NO MATTER WHAT)! Which is totally uncharacteristic of her mother who always wants to get where she needs to go on time, if not early, and at a constant pace! So, while most mommy's cling to their childhood, I dream of the day my baby gets her license, her heart broken by some stupid boy, graduates high school/college, meets Mr. Right, and travels the world chasing her dreams.
I have so much more on my mind, but I feel if I share it all I will be preaching, and I don't really feel like hurting feelings or getting on a soapbox right now. I will leave you with this bit of information though. Let me state before I move on though, I in NO WAY am telling you where to donate money and that something is more important than the other, but if you are a supporter of funding research for Childhood Cancer, you can't give to just any group and expect Ivee and her friends to benefit from it. More than likely, it won't help them at all. There are some fundraising groups, hospitals or societies that give as much as $.87 out of a $1.00 to their patients and research (St. Jude, St. Baldricks, Alex's Lemonade Stands and more being just a few)
Article:
Do you know where your money goes when you donate?? If you give to Relay for Life hoping to help children, did you know that less then half a penny goes toward pediatric cancer research. Read the info below (just a clip from the article on 1 cancer institute) but for info on all of them and where your $ may go visit this site to know the facts. http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/forum/topics/so-where-does-the-money-go
The American Cancer Society
The mission statement of the American Cancer Society (ACS) reads: "Founded in 1913, the American Cancer Society (ACS) is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. With more than two million volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health agencies in the United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has state divisions and more than 3,400 local offices."
Many chose to become involved with the ACS fundraising events, including the "Relay for Life". The funds collected by the ACS are used for many causes. The numbers, in millions:
Childhood Cancer Research - $6.2
Other Research - $143
Prevention - $177
Detection/Treatment - $129
Patient Support - $275
Management - $63
Fundraising - $222
Looks black and white to us. The numbers speak for themselves with regard to the funding for childhood cancer, but just to be clear, 0.6% of funds are directed towards research to cure the entire suite of childhood cancers.
Imagine you participate in a Relay-For-Life. You raise $1,000. $270 (27%) goes to admin and fundraising costs. Only $150 goes to any research, and only $6 of that $1000 you raised is targeted towards childhood cancer.
(for more statistics on groups like National Cancer Institute, The LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY, and more visit the site posted above)
1 comment:
Thanks for info on the donations. Our office has worked so hard to raise money for Relay for Life and it was a real eye opener to see where the funds actually go.
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