Your paper deserves much credit for raising awareness of childhood cancer and the challenges families face coping with this terrible situation.
Please allow me to clarify some of the statistics. The number of cancer cases in Canada among children 14 and younger has held fairly steady at about 920 cases per year, representing 1 per cent of all cancer cases.
We have made tremendous progress in the recent years, with the survival rate now at 83 per cent. Since 1985, childhood cancer deaths have been cut in half.
Thanks to our donors, the Canadian Cancer Society funds more childhood cancer research than any other Canadian charity. My organization has been able to fund some of the most promising and innovative research in childhood cancer, including $17.4 million in the past five years, which represents about 10 per cent of our research investments. For the coming year, we have committed $4.5 million to support 47 research grants and awards focusing on childhood cancers.
Clinical trials are especially important for childhood cancer, with 90 per cent of children enrolled in one. Our organization invested more than $5 million last year in clinical trials that take place in all parts of Canada.
At the Canadian Cancer Society, we know that for parents of childhood cancer patients simply getting your child to treatment can be a difficult task, especially if the family is also dealing with physical or financial challenges. Currently, we are helping nearly three dozen families in Simcoe-Muskoka who have children with cancer. Volunteer drivers with our Wheels of Hope program help kids and their families get to their treatment appointments. If a volunteer driver is not available or parents would rather use their own vehicles, we offer financial support to help cover some of their expenses. Last year, we invested more than $20,000 in donor dollars to help local families make 1,452 trips.
Our free Cancer Information Service (1 888 939-3333) is staffed by experienced health information specialists who can answer your questions on childhood and all types of cancer. They can also discuss in detail the support services we offer, including our peer support program that matches people with survivors or caregivers who have gone through the same journey.
It’s never been more important to support cancer research. To take action during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, please consider making a donation or becoming a Wheels of Hope volunteer driver. Please visit cancer.ca or give my office a call at 1 800 338-6610 for more information.
Brenda MacGregor
Simcoe-Muskoka Unit
Canadian Cancer Society
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