By Windy Locke
September, the month of the year known for ushering in autumn, for football, falling leaves…and for National Childhood Cancer Awareness.
Many, dare I say most, of us have been affected by cancer in our lives. We are warriors of our own battles or champions for loved ones in their battles or heartbroken survivors of those who have lost their fight. I am no exception, as I still feel the hollowness of loss as I remember my father who succumbed to kidney cancer almost a decade ago at the much too young age of 51. As time goes by and I get closer to that age myself, the profoundness of how much time was taken from him weighs heavy on my heart. When I lost my dad I couldn’t imagine a more painful loss…but I wasn’t a mother back then.
Along with the blessing and joy of motherhood comes immeasurable love and an innate desire to care for and protect your child from all of the hurt in the world. That kind of love makes a person vulnerable in a way only a parent might understand. That kind of love makes the thought of something like childhood cancer too difficult to imagine or endure. Sadly, this pain and fear, as well as this fight, are endured every day by families near and far who face it with a strength and resolve I can’t begin to comprehend.
Over 15,000 children are diagnosed with Childhood Cancer every year. Sons and daughters from small towns like Buford. It strikes without warning and we collectively hurt with our friends and neighbors as we support them through the most unimaginable journey. The closer to home and closer to our hearts it strikes, the more we recognize the devastating reality of these conditions. We understand how important it is to raise awareness and fund research for a cure.
Cutting-edge research has improved outcomes and survival rates have continued to rise; however, there is still much to be done. We can all be a part of the solution. Donating money for research, volunteering and raising awareness are a few of the many ways we can honor the children battling childhood cancer in our community and all of the people who love them.
Some of the ways you can get involved:
Register at a local donor registry drive in your community where you can join the Be The Match® bone marrow registry. You can get more information at https://bethematch.org
Donate to Touchdowns for Children’s – https://touchdownsforchildrens.org/organizations/ on this page, you can scroll down until you see a “Team AC” page. This fundraising is in honor of a member of our Buford family and supports Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the fight against Pediatric Cancer.
Volunteer at Camp Sunshine – https://www.mycampsunshine.com/ – Camp Sunshine enriches the lives of Georgia’s children with cancer and their families through recreational, educational, and support programs.
Together we can make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer. It takes a village.
In Loving Memory of Anna Charles Hollis.
