September is a disease awareness month, which you probably recognized by the gold ribbons displayed on all the corporate advertising on TV and in magazines and the special media reports. What’s that? You haven’t seen any? That’s because, for some reason, this class of diseases attracts hardly any public attention. If I said “pink ribbon,” you would have immediately thought of breast cancer. “Red ribbon” might be a little trickier, but eventually you would have come up with heart disease. But the gold ribbon is nearly invisible. It represents childhood cancers. Today, as you read this, the equivalent of a classroom full of children will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S., more than 12,400 a year. About 4,000 child cancer victims will die this year, making cancer the number one disease-related killer of children under 14. While 75 percent of childhood cancer cases are curable, for some forms, a cure remains illusive. Only one new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use over the past two decades. For some of the rarest, but most deadly, childhood cancers, no new treatments have been introduced in more than three decades.

- Christine Reid, Kingfisher (OK) Times & Free Press; complete article can be found here.

The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to spotlight childhood cancers and survivorship issues related to childhood cancer nationally.

New shoes, backpacks, sharpened pencils, glue sticks, and the butterflies of walking into a classroom on that first day -- the start of a new school year each September reminds us of children.

Yet this new beginning also reminds us that some children are not so lucky. On the first day of school - and every other day this year - 46 children will be diagnosed with cancer. That's two entire classrooms of children each and every school day.

For the 12,500 children diagnosed with cancer this year, this special day magnifies the reality that they may look different, they may be in the hospital, and they may miss the joy of this and other milestones.

Despite this dramatic progress, childhood cancer remains the #1 cause of death due to disease in children. While we celebrate all the survivors, we also take time to remember children who were diagnosed before a cure was possible. It is those children who have contributed to the knowledge we have today and brought us closer to a cure.

For all the children and families who have been touched by childhood cancer, and for all those who will be during this school year, 46 children every school day - we must conquer childhood cancer.

It's every parent's worst nightmare. Finding out your child has cancer can be the most terrifying experience a parent can endure. Although relatively rare, children continue to be diagnosed with cancer each year.

Image courtesy of foreversouls. All rights reserved. 

Please join us during the month of September as we advocate for childhood cancer awareness by taking part in one or more of the following:

• Dine at Max & Erma’s on Thursday, September 10, 2009 (Monroeville, PA location only). When you present our customized flyer to your server, 20% of your total check will be donated to Reflections Of Grace. For additional information or to print a copy of the flyer, please click here. Invite everyone you know to share a delicious meal for a great cause!
  
• Proudly wear or simply display a gold ribbon, as the color gold represents all forms of childhood cancer. Be sure to tell anyone who asks why you are wearing or displaying the ribbon.
• Visit www.icouldbeyourchild.org to read about the many children afflicted with DIPG and then pray for them and their families.
• Inspire others to take action and join our advocacy crusade by sharing the story of a courageous child currently battling cancer.
• Honor the memory of a child who heroically battled cancer by explaining to others how your life was impacted and touched by that angel.
• Express to a family who has lost a child to cancer how their child’s legacy continues to motivate you.
• Make a donation in celebration of a childhood cancer survivor or in loving memory of a child taken too soon by the disease.

There are countless ways that each individual can raise awareness about this imperative cause. Listed above are only a few possibilities. If you have additional ideas on how to spread awareness, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . We would love to hear your thoughts!

Eat at Chili's 

Monday, September 28
100% of profits on sales from participating locations go to St. Jude

• Since 2006, on one day a year in September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month), the day's profits from all Chili's locations owned by parent company Brinker International are donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
• During the month of September, Chili's runs the "Create-A-Pepper" campaign. All of the proceeds are donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  
• In 2007, Chili's opened the Chili's Care Center at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which focuses on brain cancer and treatments. The Chili's Care Center houses the major treatment and research programs for brain tumor and bone marrow transplant patients.
• Chili's has raised $18.7 million as part of a $50 million commitment to St. Jude over a 10-year period. Once completed, the donation will be the largest donation from a single partner campaign in St. Jude's history.