I would really like to see more awareness out there. There are so many children dying from many forms of cancer, and yet only 3% of national funding for cancer is given to the top 12 most common types of childhood cancer. Shouldn't children be our priority? I know each life is valuable, but children are our future! Thanks, Parent of a child who died from childhood cancer.

Highlight the current research, highlight the facts as to the stagnation and lack of funding for childhood cancers. Highlight children's stories, the REALITY of what treatment looks like. Open people's eyes to the terrible choices parents must make to help their children fight these horrific diseases (like subject them to radiation, surgery, chemotheraphy, immunotherapy -- all painful, awful toxic therapies that damage the children for life, if they survive.) As a parent who lost her child to the TREATMENT, not the cancer, I urge you to shed light on this issue, especially during September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Thank you. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ardenquinn

I was a bit ambiguous in my original content. To echo what was previously said, a child has about a 1 in 330 chance of being diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20. Those numbers speak to the need to educate and enlighten people about this.

I watch The Doctors religiously, and ofcourse watched the season premier yesterday. When watching the segment on upcoming shows I was disappointed not to see any dedicated to Childhood Cancer Awareness, instead they previewed upcoming shows on plastic surgery, and highlighted poor eating habits on the premier show. Although these topics are important, I don't believe they even compare to the importance and harsh reality of childhood cancer. Last year I watched many talk shows that highlighted breast cancer throughout the month of October, and steadily they raised money and awareness for the cause. Again, a VERY important cause, but what about the children that fight everday against this horrible disease with a smile on their faces and the strength of an army. I am lucky enough to have been touched by one such warrior, my hero, my beautiful daughter Alyssa. Alyssa lost her battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in October 2007 at the age of six. She has left behind a legacy and has impacted the lives of all who knew her. She is still teaching us all about strength, bravery, courage, love and living everyday to it's fullest, as she did until the very end. I am so proud to be her mommy. Plese consider this cause to be as important to you as it is to all of us whom it has directly affected. What if this was your son or daughter? I never thought it would be mine. I never thought I would have to face the day without a monkey hug from my baby girl....this show could be the ground breaking program to bring CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS to the for front and hopefully in the near future no other parent will have to endure the pain of this horrible disease destroying their most precious gift, their child.

My child has cancer. She has been fighting for over two years. She and and our family will forever be changed. We need help bringing attention to this horrible disease that afflicts too many of our kids. Your show is a perfect venue to produce more awareness to a cause that is underfunded and under recognized. Please do this show in September if possible.

I am one of too many families who have been affected by Childhood Cancer. My youngest daughter was diagnosed with ALL at the age of 13 and died 1 week before her 20th birthday. We need more awareness and funding! September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but how many people know about it and how many people know that a gold ribbon is the symbol for Childhood Cancer. Please help us spread the word...

We lost our 4-1/2 year old son to cancer. His 7 year old sister lost her best friend. His grandparents lost a grandson. What if it was your son. What if it was your brother. What it it was your grandson. It is time to wake up up and save our children. Research cures cancer. Sam's Dad

December 2007 is when I first heard of this dreaded monster (pediatric childhood cancer) taking kids from their parents, families and friends one by one each and every day. There needs to be more funding! There needs to be much more awareness so we can make a difference. Please help us to bring awareness to this dreaded monster killing all too many children "each day"!

Childhood cancer is devastating, I know firsthand. The lack of funding going towards CHILDHOOD cancer is disappointing, and that's an understatement. My son is almost five and has been battling Ewing's Sarcoma for almost two years. People need to be aware that there are many different childhood cancers out there and they occur regularly, randomly and without warning. These children who are forced into the fight of their lives, deserve some more recognition.

I thought cancer was about prevention. I thought catching it early meant you could beat it. I thought Stage 1 cancer with a 93 % cure rate meant our 7 year old son would live to see celebrate his 8 year old birthday with his 5 year old brother. I was wrong. DEAD wrong. Cancer strikes healthy children everyday. It is different from adult cancer in care and treatment. The levels of chemo and radiation are much more toxic and the prospect of living a normal life after treatment are extremely challenging. We need to let people know that 3,000 children die every year and another 10,000+ suffer from PTSD from cancer treatment. These families are fighting a war. Please tell the world about this isolating, silent war in our hometowns. Inform parents and teachers about the signs of cancer. Highlight tools that will help patients, family and friends cope with the diagnosis, treatment and grief. THANK YOU!

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Could you please do a show to help enlighten people on the severity and seriousness of childhood cancer? My son was diagnosed with high risk ALL last year and since then his life has been turned upside down. He has had to undergo things that no child should have to endure. More funding for research to find a cure is a necessity. Thank you! www.caringbridge.org/visit/dominicjordan

Please, we need to get more awareness and info out there. We are losing too many kids to cancer. It is underfunded and under researched. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. How many know this? How many are aware of the statistics of childhood cancer? We are. Our son bears the physical and emotional scars of his battle with childhood cancer at the age of eight. It is an awful battle for anyone to fight. But, for children to suffer like they are every day, and dying, is unacceptable. Unless you've been there, you can never really know exactly how awful it is to watch and live through. Our son's cancer was so rare that, in 2002, there was absolutely NO, not any, information on it on even the internet. There was NO PROTOCOL for treatment established either. We had to choose a course of treatment based on the best "guesses" of well-known pediatric sarcoma oncologists at major childhood cancer centers around the country. More research could have helped us. We were blessed. We still have our son. SO many others can't say the same. Now we face the uncertain future of long-term effects of the chemo and treatments he endured at such a young age. We MUST inform the American public. We need more people to fight for more funding which would lead to more research, which could possible lead to a cure. Our children need us to speak for them...and to fight for their lives.

Rhabdomyosarcoma... most people will never know how to pronounce it, let alone know what it means. For our family it is an everyday word... although we call it Rhabdo, like most of the community we are now a part of. Childhood Cancers are so overlooked when it comes to awareness and funding. Our son is only 6 months old... SIX MONTHS, we should be laughing and smiling at his attempts to crawl and yet we are smiling and relieved that his "counts" came back good and we can procede with Chemotherapy, we are marking the calender for the next MRI, the next surgery... September is Childhood Cancer awareness month. Please help our community spread the word to the rest of the world. So little is know as to why and how...so little funding is available FOR THE CURE!

I am a cancer parent who's 12 yr old daughter passed away on 12/12/08 from a diffused intrinsic pontine glioma or as we call it a DIPG. My daughter as well as many others are misdiagnosed for months before a light bulb goes off and the dr's say wow it could be a brain tumor. There is no cause or cure. All parents hear is I'm sorry their is nothing we can do. Take your child home and enjoy the maybe 6 months you have. Then we are told it just happens. Sorry to me just happens is for accidents, lossing your car keys, things like that just happen. Cancer doesn't just happen there has to be a reason and more research needs to go towards these children. They only receive at the most 3% for all childhood cancers. Just how far does 3% go when there are 120 different types of brain tumors our children can get. Not to mention the other types of childhood cancer. Breast and Prostate are the only two types children DON'T get. Adults can't get most of the childhood cancers. But, with our children passing at alarming rates they will never grow up to get Breast or Prostate cancer. So both Breast and Prostate will be gone, because you won't have the children to get it. So I guess at least a cure will be found for that. But, our future will be gone, because we will have no more children. Remember it could be your child. I pray you won't have to experience what I and so many others have. Please, help us spread the word and raise awareness, if people don't know it's out there, then things will continue the way they are now. No CURE... Annette Mc (angel aimees mom) www.caringbridge.org/visit/aimeedickey www.aimeesarmy.com

My daughter Lindsay is 10 years old and has been in treatment for leukemia for over 2 years. Most people are shocked that treatment is soo long. There are many facts that people aren't aware of. PLEASE do a show on pediatric cancer and bring the importance of awareness to the forefront. Thanks, Sara (mom to a pediatric cancer patient)

My son is a cancer survivor who had a stem cell transplant (allogenic). A mothers unselfish gift saved my child by donating her umbilical cord after giving birth! People look at me like I am crazy as we raise awareness about childhood cancer. They think I am even crazier when I ask a pregnant mother what she is doing with her childs cord. The cords are tossed in the garbage as children/adults lay suffering or dying waiting for a donor match! Please help us with research and raising awareness to pregnant mothers! Thanks Tracey Saputo MI

There needs to be more awareness, so many kids fighting for their lives - just to lose the battle. We need funding for research!! missing my girl www.virtualmemorials.com Abbey Rodkey 06-14-94 ~ 12-02-06

I lost my 17 year old beautiful daughter, Emily, a very short five months after learning she had leukemia. Never sick a day in her life and then this. The treatment to cure these deadly diseases is as caustic as the disease itself. These children are our future - I never knew until we began this journey exactly how many children are affected by cancer. Something needs to be done. Until you are immersed into the world of cancer, it is never more than a passing thought. I am always amazed by "causes", especially those that involve endangered species, yet who is raising awareness of a disease that is preying on our innocent children? Please get on board to spread the word and help make a difference in a very worthy endeavor.

My son Keeghan was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 10. He died at age 12 on August 31, 2008. Ironically, his goal in life before he was diagnosed was to grow up and find a cure for cancer! If it were your child, would you want more funding for pediatric cancer research? Please help us - the parents, family, and friends of these amazing children - to bring awareness. Cancer is not contagious, but the passionate drive to find a cure IS.

A show on childhood cancer is long overdue. This is such a horrific disease. There is no known cause for most childhood cancers. It could affect any family at any time. I lost a son to Wilm's tumor. My daughter lost her little brother and best friend. My husband lost his little buddy. Our lives will forever be changed because of childhood cancer. www.caringbridge.org/ne/josh

I would love to see a show that brings attention to childhood cancer awareness. We need help bringing attention to this disease. Please do this show in September as it is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Cancer robs too many people of so many things, especially the children. You have no control over anything and the fear is unbelievable. My daughter is a survivor! She went through 2 major surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. She is our hero!

Society NEEDS to be made aware of how prevalent childhood cancer is. I think most people know it exists but feel it's "too painful" to discuss. I have been a cancer-support volunteer for seven years now and my own family doesn't like to hear about kids suffering from cancer. I often hear, "It takes a special kind of person to do what you do." No, it doesn't. I'm not special - it's the kids who are special and they deserve to have their stories told. I'm just doing what we should all be doing - raising awareness and trying to lighten the load for the families who have been stricken by this monster of a disease. No child should ever have to utter the words, "I have Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma," or "I can't go to school because I'm immuno-suppressed from chemotherapy." A 4-year-old shouldn't know how to pronounce Medulloblastoma and a 10-year-old should know how to spell Craniopharyngioma or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Rhabdomyosarcoma. But they do...and it breaks my heart. It is important for all parents know that "growing pains' can also be symptoms of something much, much worse. Many parents don't understand how critical routine well-visits are to their child's well-being. On the flip-side, doctors need to be more aggressive and take the time to listen more closely to parents, rather than often writing off complaints as "typical parent anxiety". I've heard too many parents say that their son or daughter would still be alive today if their doctor had only listened and taken them seriously before it was too late. Awareness + Funding = CURE

My 4 year old daughter has retinoblastoma. She went from Elmo and Nemo and nap time, to needles, eye drops, chemotherapy, femoral artery catheterizations and a world where the majority of her peers were bald and pale. That is her normal and it is all she knows. She does not hate it or feel sorry for herself, she just lives it and keeps on smiling! WE ALL KNOW she does not deserve it and neither does any of the other children. Our country needs to know what our lives are like and needs to know how vastly underfunded this disease called CHILDHOOD CANCER is so that they can help make the difference for the rest of us whose world revolves around day to day survival and clinical trials for our children! On behalf of Karli, Savannah, Bishop, Thomas, Julie-Layton, Isaiah, Dylan, Trey, Paris, Kaci, and all of the other thousands of children battling this disease, please help do your part to bring awareness. VOTE THE SHOW UP and WEAR GOLD RIBBONS for the month of SEPTEMBER!!!!!!

I'm just a Mom, Dante's Mom. My son passed away 1/6/09 after a 13 month battle with Neuroblastoma Stage 4. He was just over 2 years old. There is so much I can say here, but I want to make you aware, KIDS GET CANCER TOO! Everyone loves a cute little bald headed survivor, but what about our cute little bald headed angel's? They deserve to be heard from the heaven's. Please give our angel's a voice. Jo from NJ www.carepages.com/trooperdante

Please consider doing a show about childhood cancer and the importance of more research. My 7 year old daughter passed away from Rhabdomyosarcoma June of 2008. No parent should have to go through the pain of losing a child. Please help us get the word out about childhood cancer awareness month. Gold is the color of childhood cancer. Please wear a gold ribbon to show your support to find a cure for childhood cancer. Thank you so much!

Lack of awareness almost could have killed my son, if i hadn't been such a determined mom and not taking the doctors misdiagnosis as the real diagnosis. Please help other kids who are being misdiagnosed. Give their parents more information so they might too ask the right questions, recognize the symptoms and push for that MRI when doctors keep telling them its only migraines when really its could be a brain tumor.

Childhood cancer is not something we want to hear about or read about because it's something that will never happen to you...and then it does. Cancer shows no mercy and it can happen to anyone at any time. It sneaks up on you and rips your heart out. The numbers are stunning and yet saddening and if our (now 5 year old son) had not been diagnosed with ALL at the age of 3 we still would not be aware of just how many children AND infants are diagnosed with cancer EVERY day! I believe that if everyone were more educated about this then more funding would be made possible. The children need our help, we need to get the word out and make everyone more aware of just how many children are affected by this life threatening disease. As Danny Thomas put it, "No child should die in the dawn of their life".

Just one of the many parents who will NOT be tucking their baby in , tonight and every night for the rest of my life.... Missing you lil man! Lets talk about CHILDHOOD cANCER !!!!

Here is a link if you have any reservations about why such a show is needed: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/childhood_cancer_awareness_mon.html

My son was 2 years old when he was diagnosed with t-cell leukemia. His white blood cell count was over 500,000. They told us to say our goodbyes. Fortunately, my son pulled through those first rough months of treatment and went on to endure 2 more years of harsh chemotherapy, high-dose steriods, and cranial radiation. The radiation was the most difficult part (and there were a lot of difficult parts!). Watching helplessly as your sweet, sweet, innocent child endures radiation directly to the brain is heart-wrenching. We felt helpless. We didn't know if he would be able to function as a normal adult due to all the toxicity. Fortunately, our son is now 13 years old and just started middle school. :-) He's a bright, well-adjusted teen who came out a cancer survivor, but as a result, does have some memory and processing issues. It's unfortuante that our children (1) are diagnosed with cancer; (2) must endure long treatment protocols - some are more than 3 yrs long - using harsh toxic chemos; and (3) suffer long-term ill-effects as a result of the treatment to keep them alive. I think it's important to showcase childhood cancer on your show in order to highlight the fact that more children die from cancer than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital abnormalities and pediatric AIDS - combined! In addition, treatments for childhood cancer are longer than adult cancers, and there is less money funded for childhood cancer research than there is for adult cancers. I think it's also important for people to see that even though more and more children are surviving childhood cancer, they are paying a high price to do so (i.e. my son's brain damage due to the cranial radiation). I think it's also important for people to be aware of the warning signs - not to scare them - but to just be aware of them. Childhood cancer can go undiagnosed at a pediatrician's office many times before it becomes apparent. In my son's case, we had been to the pediatrician's office 6 different times before they sent us to see a pediatric oncologist. And it was almost too late! September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. If nothing else, please, PLEASE get a gold ribbon pin and wear it on your show in support of childhood cancer awareness this month. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments. Sheri from Virginia

Please hear us! Look at the votes! How can you turn us away? It feels like we live in the shadows because nobody wants to take on Childhood Cancer. Our children are dying...my 16 yr old daughter died a year ago from a brain tumor. What if she was your daughter, sister, or friend? Your show is so helpful to so many on various topics. But have any of you stayed from the beginning of Hospice of a child, to the end? A child. Still fighting in her name~ Morgan's Mom

We lost our grandaughter Mila die in 2004 from an astocytoma, brainstem glioma. Watching our daughter loose her only daughter who was 2 1/2 years old was one of the most excruciating things a parent can possible go through. September is the month dedicated to Childhood Cancer Awareness, please help to in some way promote to influence the powers to be to give more funding to this cause. I have seen the power of Myspace and Facebook do more to help a parent who is fighting this battle with their child than any other media. This is happening each and every day to a family who can never possibly prepare themselves for cancers devastation on them and their child. This is a cause that needs to be continually brought to the forefront. The grief of loosing a child never, ever goes away. They are forever in the folds of your heart, but when their could be funding denoted to research and it is not happening, that is unexceptable. Please use this month on your show to find time to promote this worthwhile cause. Our childrens health is directly linked to our future...make a difference. Those precious angels we have lost will then not have died in vain. Sher

Bring awareness to how deeply affected many familes are by pediatric cancer. Open up awareness about the allocation of cancer research funds.

Here is another read on the childhood cancer world.... http://www.standup2cancer.org/node/3738

My son, my only child was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 21 months. Kale being diagnosed with Leukemia was devastating. Kale is currently in remission, but his fight is far from over. Kale's treatment for Leukemia will continue until late 2011.Cancer is a horrible disease and it changes your life FOREVER!

My son Adam was diagnosed at age 14 with a brain tumor he named "Bill" because we wanted to "Kill Bill". He fought hard for 18 months and died 4/11/2009 he will forever be 16. Our lives have been changed forever because of childhood cancer. All of the kids who have fought and are still fighting this horrible disease are HEROS! Just remember that September is Childhood Awareness Month, get your gold on for the kids!

They say that childhood cancer is rare. Tell that to a mom and dad that have just been told that there child has been dx with cancer. They may believe that bull at first but then they start to dive into the internet and get connected to the thousands plus...of moms and dads out there that have lost their children or are in the battle. It's like its own underground world. Just take a look at any caringbridge or carepage site. You can link from one kid to another.... We are all in this SCREAMING FOR HELP and praying to be heard. Hoping that we could get help from our government, somebody, anybody. Help us save our dying children! It doesn't even seem real that this could be happening in the richest country in the world. Childhood cancer is only getting 3% of research dollars for ALL types of childhood cancer. Thank you in advance for considering doing a show that could get the word out about childhood cancer. September is chilhood cancer awareness month. Debbie ~ Mom to Alyssa (dx with brain cancer ~ medulloblastoma at age 6) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alyssadennewitz

This is an important issue that needs some attention. Pediatric cancer has touched our family and it breaks my heart to see child after child losing their life to this vicious disease. Funding for childhood cancer is next to nothing...this needs to be changed!

Our community lost two precious little girls (ages 5 & 7) in the summer of 2008 to Rhabdomyosarcoma. Their families have created a non-profit organization (www.butterflyfund.org) to raise awareness about childhood cancer and your show is an opportunity to further their dream of spreading childhood cancer awareness. These two families are shining examples of how to turn tragedies into something positive.

and for that matter, you could also focus on what actually happens during a bone marrow transplant. All of these tv shows make it look like it is a walk in the park. The person is in and out in a couple days...ex Grey's Anatomy, One Life to Live, House all had shows where someone had a bmt. IT does NOT happen like they portray it!!

My grandson was diagnosed with Philadelphia Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on July 21,2007 at age 3 1/2. After undergoing High dose chemotherapy, total body irradiation, bone marrow transplant, numerous admissions to the hospital, hundreds of lab draws, test, procedures, xrays, scans, mri's he is now in a remission. Now we deal daily with the "collateral damage" of avascular necrosis, psuedo tumor cerebrai, heterotopic ossification to name a few. Benjamin was given a less than 10% chance of survival at 5 years, we are now 2 years and 2 months into the journey. Please bring this monster into the publics view so that more research can be done so our babies can have more than a 10% chance of surving! www.carepages.com/helpbenjamin

My five year old son was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma when he was 5 years old. He tried to get into the the world records for collecting the most paper airplanes. He is now 7 years old. However until Hunter was brought into the world news hardly anyone had ever heard of burkitt's cancer. More funding NEEDS!!!!!! Why isnt there more funding or more attention to do more research on childhood cancers???? The president can talk to america about staying in school but how about talking about health in children other then washing your hands. You dont get cancer by not washing your hands!!!! Please please please lets work together to bring more awarness to childhood cancer!!!!!!!!!!!!!! www.caringbridge.org/visit/hunterwinship GOD BLESS TO ALL THE PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN EFFECTED BY A CHILD WITH CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I voted for CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH topic http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate IN HONOR OF KATE MCRAE and her FAMILY and ALL CHILDREN

This is such an important issue and should without a doubt be on this show. It needs more awareness. People Against Childhood Cancer (PAC2) thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer • Childhood Cancer is the #1 killer disease of our children, more than from asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined. • 1 in 330 children will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20, 46 every school day. • Each year 3,000 children die, and 35-40,000 are in treatment. • The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) federal budget was $4.6 billion. All 12 major groups of pediatric cancer’s combined received less than 3% of those funds! We need your voice to help make a difference in the lives of our children. The child you save may be your own. Join PAC2 at: CureChildhoodCancer.ning.com

My little boy was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma ( bone cancer) at the age of 6. With determination,courage,bravery and strength he battled for 3 years through chemo and numerous surgeries to overcome this horrible,horrible disease and is now ( thank God) in remission. He wouldn't have been able to do it without the wonderful doctors, nurses and countless people who work behind the scenes to try to help save these childrens lives. We keep praying that through research a cure will be found. For research to progress and continue, they need funding. No child should ever have to suffer this horrible disease. No parent should have to watch thier child suffer. It is without a doubt the most helpless feeling, a nightmare. My son is still alive today, but other familes we met along this journey were not so fortunate and had to bury thier precious children and not a day goes by that we dont think about or worry about recurrance. But we are not going to let that fear rob us of the joy we have with him each new day. He is our inspiration and our hero. Thank you.

I am THRILLED to see that this is being brought to light. As a mother of a young one diagnosed with leukemia.. and relapsed... I know how important it is to get the message out there. I LOVE the show... and can't wait to see this topic on it! www.caringbridge.org/canada/joshua

My 3 year old was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of 1. Our cancer journey has not ended with treatment. She is monitored every three months. Throughout our journey we have met many kids who haven't fared out as well as she has. More research needs to be done to find cures for these kids! www.isaacsfoundation.org

My son Nicholas is a 3 year survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma. After grueling chemo and radiation he is a freshman at lafayette college. His brother Anthony has written and produced a film about his journey. www.transitionthemovie.com. We are hoping this gets hollywood attention to help end this horrific disease. We vowed never to stop our fight to end this disease, We are submitting to all film festivals. We have also met with Hiliary Clinton to try and get legislation for pediatric survivorship. I hope you help us. The child you save may be your own.

As the mother of a 6-year-old cancer survivor, I am all too aware of the need to continue to make advances in the early diagnosis and treatment of this devastating disease. Although tremendous strides have been made in pediatric cancer over the decades, far too many children continue to be diagnosed with and die from cancer. Those who are cured from their disease often suffer serious long-term side effects or even death as a result of the treatments and procedures they endured to make them well. I am so grateful to be writing this as a parent whose child has been in remission for 3 1/2 years. However, my daughter's battle with cancer is not yet over. She will need to be monitored very closely for the return of the cancer and for other late effects for her entire lifetime. For the 12, 500 other children diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone, their fight has just begun. We desperately need awareness in order to make it possible for every child who has cancer to be given the chance to live!

Please do a show on this...I never thought of a child getting cancer until is slapped me in the face in 2003....there is so much on other cancers all adult of course especially breast cancer..so please make people aware of kids with cancer. Proud Mom to Alexis childhood cancer survivor...dx age 3 ALL just over 2 years of chemo off tx since Dec. 2005....doing good, but a parent never stops worrying.

Our daughter Sara lost her battle with a Brain Stem Glioma Multiform at age 8. It has been almost 11 years now but to us it feels like yesterday. Her big brother-now a grown man- still says that he lost the very best friend he ever had. Neither my husband nor myself could ever remember losing a classmate to cancer when we were young. What has went wrong in our country? What is causing this disease to kill our children? Why isn't there more funding for childhood cancer? It is true children are the future, so why are so many having their futures destroyed? We must bring attention to this hideous disease by doing a show on the impact of childhood cancer on not only the child but the aftermath a family must endure. Cancer not only killed our little girl-it killed the family we used to be.

I like many never thought about childhood cancer.... That is until the surgeon told us that the lump taken from our 6 week old was Cancer. Thanks to the amazing community that advocates Childhood Cancer Awareness, we have found the support needed to travel down this tough road. Research funding is paramount to finding cures and new treatments, allowing more people the doctors, nurses, & parents, the tools they need to fight these terrible diseases, thereby affording these children the dream of life, and happiness. Cancer remains the number one disease killer of children; more than genetic anomalies, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS combined. I vote for my son... Bryce this votes for you. Wear GOLD in September, advocate Awareness year round!

There are way too many children losing their lives to CANCER. AMERICA HAS TO WAKE UP! My family had no idea! Until we were thrown into the world of childhood cancer. My grandson, Nathaniel Emily at 4 years old was diagnosed in Dec 2004 with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. This cancer took his precious life May 8 2006. Six months after Nathaniel died my nephew, Kevin Warner, at the age of 14 years was diagnosed with epithelioid fibrosarcoma. Cancer took his life 7 months later. And as we have journeyed through this horrid world of cancer we have met many precious children who lost their lives too, Caleb Nehring age 8 years, Parker Scarborough age 3 years, Ashley Roberts age 8 years, and hundreds more who are fighting this disease NOW. And a precious 10 year old girl, Jessica Easley, who just went home today on hospice! Thousands of children are dying daily and it's as if nobody is aware because if they were then SURELY more would be being done to find a CURE! Please, please get the awareness out there. Please help these precious children. Please.

There are way too many children losing their lives to CANCER. AMERICA HAS TO WAKE UP! My family had no idea! Until we were thrown into the world of childhood cancer. My grandson, Nathaniel Emily at 4 years old was diagnosed in Dec 2004 with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. This cancer took his precious life May 8 2006. Six months after Nathaniel died my nephew, Kevin Warner, at the age of 14 years was diagnosed with epithelioid fibrosarcoma. Cancer took his life 7 months later. And as we have journeyed through this horrid world of cancer we have met many precious children who lost their lives too, Caleb Nehring age 8 years, Parker Scarborough age 3 years, Ashley Roberts age 8 years, and hundreds more who are fighting this disease NOW. And a precious 10 year old girl, Jessica Easley, who just went home today on hospice! Thousands of children are dying daily and it's as if nobody is aware because if they were then SURELY more would be being done to find a CURE! Please, please get the awareness out there. Please help these precious children. Please.

You have the opportunity to save lives daily. Please help save our children. And help the children who do not even know the word cancer... yet. A simple show could easily spark a national conversation about pediatric cancer. Who knows- likely spur a mother to push a bit for a proper diagnosis and give her child a chance at life. Our children suffer from treatment and disease alike. It is time to find a better way. www.caringbridge.org/visit/eliaswaymire

Please consider doing an episode on Childhood Cancer during September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This issue is very close to my heart, as this August I celebrated 20 years as a survivor of pelvic Ewing's sarcoma, diagnosed at age 15. It took doctors 9 months to diagnose me, as they considered all possibilities, including bone infections and juvenile arthritis, but weren't looking for a tumor. I celebrate the fact that I am living proof that children do survive cancer and its treatments, but most of the children and teens I befriended at the MSKCC during that time have sadly passed on. Childhood cancer is not only about treating the child in the here and now, but also about LATE EFFECTS OF CANCER TREATMENTS that can appear months to years later and can affect all aspects of life, including mobility, cognition, fertility, and the ability to become insured by health insurers who consider childhood cancer a pre-existing condition. There are also concerns with childhood cancer survivors who have heart issues from Adriamycin, lung issues from Bleomycin, and various other health ailments that stem from being bombarded with toxic substances to eradicate the very tumors that threatened their lives. Most General Practitioners will not have had specific training in childhood cancer and late effects of treatments, and therefore would benefit from more exposure to our health issues, especially from a wide-reaching TV program such as yours. Quite personally, I have had my share of doctors who dismissed my late effects of hemorrhagic cystitis and radiation enteritis, and I have been written up in my medical chart as "patient seems depressed" and "needs to seek psychiatric help" when my physical ailments were very real and definitely related to the 8 chemo drugs and massive pelvic radiation I received as a developing teenage girl. It wasn't until about 15 years after my treatment and lots of self-advocacy and research on my own that I found a specialist who came to MSKCC, an expert in late effects who has helped many childhood cancer survivors to live and thrive, rather than just "get by." It is imperative that doctors learn about late effects of childhood cancer treatments, and a show on these issues during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month would be very beneficial to viewers, especially parents who may have children come to them with unexplained pain, as I had gone to my parents at age 14. Thank you for your attention. — a 20-year Ewing's sarcoma survivor from Queens, NYC

Here's another link you might check out....I still think it's the largest collection of childhood cancer stories ever collected in one place.... http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer AJs Dad

My name is Colleen and my son Cole was diagnosed with ALL-leukemia when he was 5. He completed his 3 1/2 year treatment protocol in December of 2008. We re so grateful to all of the advances in medicine that is now curing almost 80% of children diagonosed with cancer. Now that 80% of these kids are living we now have a new set of issues. There are long term side effects from all of the chemo and radiation. These kids have missed so much school that academics fall way behind. Because they struggle with their academic, their self esteem is low, friends are not so understanding....etc. I am SO incredibly excited that my son is considered a survivor, but now we are playing emotional and academic catch-up. Also, did you know that 85% of marriages end up in divorce when their child has a debilitating disease? My husband and I are together and happy, but so many other couples in similar situations do not stay married. There are so many issues to be discussed related to childhood cancer, it could easily fill up an hour show. Great organizations that support children with cancer and their families...some include... Cure Childhood Cancer Hatch's House of Hope Make a Wish Foundation Lighthouse Family Retreat Camp Sunshine

This would be an excellent medium to get awareness out. Please vote. Thanks... Jennifer, A parent who lost her child to cancer on March 24, 2009.

On January 27, 2007, my only sibling, my best friend, Andrew (14-years-old), played four soccer games for his elite travel team, FC Delco, winning the Pennsylvania Indoor State Cup. Two days later, January 29, 2007, my parents took Andrew to AI DuPont Hospital for Children here in Wilmington, thinking he had appendicitis. To everyone’s surprise, he was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and as a result, went into septic shock and cardiac arrest. The doctors told us that he wouldn’t make it through the night and to start saying our “good-byes”. My family and I couldn’t believe it, but we knew Andrew, and we knew he wouldn’t give up without a fight. Sure enough, Andrew made it through the night. Andrew was “in remission” after the first round of chemotherapy, which is unheard of. However, because the chemotherapy wipes out all white blood cells – good and bad – Andrew had no immune system, which allowed infections to set in. Andrew went through multiple procedures, operations, and was even airlifted to Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for emergency brain surgery. Never backing down from a challenge, Andrew gave it his all and made everyone proud. Andrew “rewrote” the medical textbooks. He defied all odds. Andrew and my family lived in AI DuPont Hospital from January 29, 2007 to July 14, 2007, when after 166 “bonus days,” Andrew went to Heaven. www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough Please help us spread awareness so other families don't have to go through what my family, and so many others have been through. Help us spread awareness for all the kids fighting, surviving, and in Heaven. Show people the brave children who've been through the fight. Share stories of the heroes fighting childhood cancer, surviving or in Heaven. Let people see that this really can happen to anyone, at any time. Help us get the word out on the effects of chemotherapy. If the chemo could've only wiped out Andrew's bad, cancerous cells, he could still be here today. I could still have my best friend with me.

WE NEED A CURE!!!!!!!! From PAC2: Childhood Cancer - Incidence and Mortality When we talk about childhood cancer, we are referring to an age group of those under 20 years old. This group represents nearly 30% of the population of the United States. In that group; #1 - Approximately 12,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, that's 34 every day the incidence of childhood cancer has INCREASED over the past 20 years. Over the past 20 years, there has been some increase in the incidence of children diagnosed with all forms of invasive cancer, from 11.5 cases per 100,000 children in 1975 to 14.8 per 100,000 children in 2004 1 in 300 boys under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer 1 in 333 girls under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer #2 - Every year approximately 2,500 children are killed by this set of diseases, that's 7 every day Over a five year period, approximately 20% (1 in 5) of the children diagnosed do not survive Over a ten-year period, approximately 25% (1 in 4) of the children diagnosed do not survive #3 - Childhood cancer is the #1 cause of death from disease for our children Every year it kills more than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer http://curesearch.org/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/michaelbrian7

Acknowledging and echoing what others have said, I personally feel a great focus of the show would be enlightenment for the public that cancer does indeed happen in children. It could be an opportunity to educate about symptoms/signs, and above all...believing that inner voice that says "something is not right". All too often, these pediatric cases are dismissed as something far less threatening. If the public were educated, they could be far better advocates for their children and the communities children. Education is a powerful thing and that is what I hope you will feel called to do.

I feel the pediatric cancer or childhood cancer awareness month could both be combined into the same. I lost my son, spetember 29, 2008 to medulloblastoma-his name is Camden, he was 3years old. I can't begin to tell you how alone you feel when you become a parent of a child with cancer. What I can tell you is that I wake up everyday wondering why not me; why did God feel that Camden needed to be an angel at 3. I don't even know where to begin with healing or forgiveness, but what I can begin to do is figure out how to piece together a life for the child I still have-Jaden 8yrs old. There is no salvation to this misery for a mother and I can only pray that you find it in your hearts to bring awareness to this passionate cause. People need to know how these babies suffer, whether they live or die.

People need to know that this happens and it happens alot.Whoever said childhood cancer is rare never visited or lived on a packed oncology floor of a pediatric hospital.We lost our 4 1/2 year old daughter to neuroblastoma after she fought hard for over 2 years.We need better research and better funding and we need you to get the word out there!Do the right thing.Maggie's Mommy.

Please do a show on pediatric cancer and how it affects entire families. We lost our son 5 years ago. Our lives will never be the same. We need more awareness. Please help us with that. Children should not be dying from cancer. We need better research and funding. There is NOTHING worse than burying a child, especailly after watching them fight so hard to stay alive.

Please do a show to raise awareness on Childhood Cancer! My son was diagnosied jan 29 2009 at only 21/2 yrs old with Rhabdomyosarcoma! Please lets raise awareness and help with funding!!

My daughter, Maddie, was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor on June 20th. She was healthy untill then, everything normal. Her cancer has devastated our lives and the lives of our community. It is not fair that a 2 year old girl should have to endure 30+ chemotherapy treatments, weeks of radiation, and surgeries. I hate what has happened to my daughter...but at the same time, am learning so much from her. She is amazing, strong, and brave. Our entire community has rallied around us...friends near and far. It has renewed my faith in people and shown me a light of hope that I have never known. Unfortunately, it has also shown me how small a priority the topic of childhood cancer is to the powers that be. Shameful. Help us conquer Kids' Cancer - awareness is the key! Kelly Poynter Mother of Maddie, courageously fighting cancer since June 20, 2009 www.caringbridge.org/visit/madelinefinleypoynter

The carepages and caring bridge websites of children battling cancer was the beginning of my journey to know incredible families, stories of children braver than the bravest, each surpassing the other in their fight, each one so unique and special. These kids and their families are the true stars who teach us so much, inspire and humble us, not the celebrities on whom our modern society is hung up on. These are the kids who are sent on battle fields without enough ammunition, because we still know very little of this beast cancer. Why it strikes our kids (bad luck we were told)? Why they recur or relapse? What is the optimum level of chemo needed to prevent secondary cancers or relapses? Why can we not treat only the bad cells and protect the healthy cells in their growing bodies? Why can we not have vaccines to prevent it? We have come a long way, but as long as there are angels we still have miles to go. We have to reach the goal of 100% cure, not resting on our laurels of 80-90% success rate. Because when its your child, these statistics do not matter. I remember when my 5 yr old son was first diagonised at age 4, his oncologist said to me, "Cancer is the worst thing to have, but Wilms tumor is the best of the worst. It has a 90% cure rate. When he recurred in treatment he was termed "salvageable". We have been relentlessly fighting this battle over 15 months without a break. Hurtled from the frying pan to the fire. When a child falls ill for a few days parents agonise . Can you imagine the plight of the cancer families where the diagonises is the beginning of a new life, if any, and we have to live through the fight for years, and if our child manages to survive then its a lifetime toll of battling the late effects of the treatment. There is no end to it. So, Enough is Enough. What troubles me most is the lack of public awareness on childhood cancer. Over a year ago I did not know of the childhood cancer world, till I got hurtled into it. Also, people in the outside world, are afraid to know about it. Cancer strikes fear into everybody's hearts. One finds comfort in being blissfully unaware of it. It is scary, I agree. It robs a child of their childhood. Agreed, given an option none of us would want to have anything to do with it. Though, now we have no choice but, follow the road we have been destined to. The battle of cancer is fought by the little kids physically, emotionally and mentally along with their families - parents, siblings. It is worse than a nightmare. A beast that terrorises you not for hours or days, but years and years to come. Ask any parent of a child with cancer, as to what happens to them even when the child is off treatment and there comes the date for scans. They are mental wrecks. Scans are like days of deliverance. It is unbelievably nerve-racking. Nobody can imagine what our kids and we as their families go through except for those in our shoes. It is sad, because we are tied by the chord of cancer that has affected our children. We are tied by a symbiotic chord. Troubled times bring people together. These families are our soul brothers and sisters. We cry for every child's pain and rejoice with every NED scan, as though it is our own. We have to do everything possible as humans to help make the lives of these warriors who are fighting and the angels who have succumed for lack of enough knowledge and treatment options, worth it. We need to spread the word, Save these Children and Conquer Childhood Cancer. Let us begin by lighting the lamp through the media and spreading its brightness far and wide. The light of knowledge and awareness lit should dim the fear and ignorance of childhood cancer and raise funds for research. The Pen is mightier than the Sword. Let's unleash it. A picture is worth more than a thousand words. Let's wield it. There's nothing that can't be done if we raise our voice as one. Let us then use our power of unity. The souls of humanity have to be stirred to give our kids fighting so bravely for their lives a chance to live, to see the world and to pursue their dreams. Let there be only stories of triumph and courage against all odds, happy endings and not lost lives. So help us in our mission, of spreading the word, saving a child and conquering cancer by creating huge awareness on childhood cancer amongst your readers and viewing audience, publishing stories of these little heroes in your esteemed show. Do all you can, as Doctors and Producers, in the coming month of September for the Event: Media Mania - September 2009 - National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, "5 min to help save years and years of life...." Thank you, Regards, VASANTI S. mother to Rohin, 5 yrs old. Wilms tumor, St IV(07/11/2008); Recurrence 02/11/2009.

I think a show on Pediatric cancer would be sooooooo needed!..As a mom of a 6 year old cancer patient ( he was diagnosed the day after Christmas 2009) I KNOW the pain and suffering theses kids endure...my son is lucky, he is responding well to chemo and seems that he will make a full recovery...but it has been hard and he has endured so much... Parents need to have more info to save these kids...it strikes at anytime...any age..any class...any race,...theses kids are warriors!!!!

PLEASE DO A SHOW ON CHILDHOOD CANCER Our 12 year son Sammy was diagnosed with Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (AML ) in June 2009. As you may, or may not know, this is primarily an adult cancer and is treated with very intensive chemotherap. Sammy will be spending roughly 6 months in the hospital for his treatment. Pretty scary treatment plan for a healthy baseball player who had just a stuffy nose eh? Yes, a stuffy nose. Imagine being told your child had leukemia when you thought you were only dealing with a summer cold. No fever, no aches, and no pains.Just CANCER!! Sammy is the third child in 3 years from his elementary school that has been diagnosed with cancer. What is going on here??? Red flag or what?? Did you know that over 10,700 children a year are diagnosed with cancer. As everyone goes back to school, consider this: Every school day, 2 classrooms full of students will be told that they have cancer. Yes, every school day We need to do more for the children, they are our future. More must to be done to educate, and more research funding needs to be available. Let's bring this deadly disease to the forefront and hit it head on. It's just as important as other cancers. Let's make everyone more AWARE!!!!!!!

Childhood Cancer is a topic no one discusses. That needs to change. My son had been to the doctor numerous times for what seemed to be small problems that wouldn't go away. Until one day he fell and didn't stop complaining that his stomach hurt. He was also vomiting and we thought he had a virus. Eventuallly the pain was so much and he was passing out. Finally the doctor told me to take him for an x-ray. His tumor was bleeding in his stomach and he was bleeding to death. He had emergency surgery and recieved a lot of blood. He had been to the doctor the week before, but it was never suspected that he could have cancer. He did have cancer, a HUGE tumor, but we had NO IDEA. Not even a clue. The doctor had NO CLUE because childhood cancer is not talked about or discussed. People need to made aware of this. IT IS A GROWING PROBLEM. Please help this problem of lack of awareness. Please. You will definitely be SAVING LITTLE ONES LIVES. He was only a cute little two year old.

September is pediatric cancer awareness month! When I tell people that, they sort of look the other direction. There is nothing about it on TV.... No one is talking about it....You dont see "gold" ribbons anywhere..... This cause needs your help! Help bring this cause to the people! Do a show in honor of our cancer angels, and the ones that are still in the battle for their lives.! HELP SPREAD AWARENESS! AND TRY TO DO IT THIS MONTH! Our goal is for the gold awareness ribbon to be as recognized as the pink one. More awareness, more money! More money, more research! More research, more treatments will be available. And without research, there will NEVER be cure. Some childhood cancer treatments are exactly the same as they were 30 years ago (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma). This is the cancer that my 4 year old grand daughter was diagnosed with.... 36 days later, she died! PLEASE, THE KIDS NEED YOUR HELP! Thanking you in advance for your time, and for the show! Sincerely! Vicki Cotton

In August, 2008 Lydia Miyashita, my 5 year old daughter, adopted from China, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (“AML”). After 4 rounds of chemo and a world-wide search which located her birthparents and siblings in China for a bone marrow transplant, Lydia succumbed to the disease on the banks of the Peace River in Punta Gorda, FL. As Lydia was dying, beautiful cranes came and fed along the banks of the Peace River just outside her window. It reminded me of the story of Sadako, a Japanese girl who developed AML after the Hiroshima bombing in 1945. According to Japanese legend, if a person folds 1000 paper cranes, the person’s wish will come true. Sadako died before finishing the cranes, but her friends completed the task, and Sadako later became a symbol of peace when the Japanese government built a statute of her in 1958 in Hiroshima’s Peace Park. When I blogged about the cranes on Lydia’s caringbridge site, classmates and friends from St. Mary’s School in Wooster, Ohio as well as Lydia’s grandparent’s neighbors, began folding 1000 paper cranes so that Lydia’s legacy, like that of Sadako’s, would live on forever as a symbol of HOPE for a cure for pediatric cancer. To raise cancer awareness and to spotlight attention on the lack of funding for pediatric cancer research into causes of cancer and treatments for the disease, I have asked 1,000 schools, churches and/or organizations to volunteer to fold 1000 paper cranes and to send those 1,000,000 cranes to Washington DC to make Congress sit up and take notice of our country’s most vulnerable and innocent cancer victims. I would love to see a show spotlighting pediatric cancer awareness so that a cure can be found for this horrible disease in order that children do not have to suffer and die in an age when so many diseases are curable. To read more about Lydia or Lydia’s Hope, check out the following websites: Lydia’s Hope: www.lydiascancerhope.com, a 501(c)(3) foundation benefitting pediatric cancer patients, families and research. Lydia’s Caringbridge site: www.caringbridge.org/visit/lydialimeieikomiyashita, a site devoted to Lydia’s story and her battle with leukemia

I would like to see this in the media a lot this month. Hardly anyone knows that September is childhood cancer awareness month. We didn't until a close family friend was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16. Less than one year later we lost him. My son has chosen to do a awarness campaign in honor of Josh for his eagle project. What we thought would be a simple yet time consuming, project has turned out to be very difficult in many ways. Less than 3% of the money raised for cancer research goes to childhood cancers. Please help bring this out into the public more and help spread the word that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!! Cancer knows no boundaries, it is always devistating, even more so when it is a child that is fighting for his or her life. Please help.

Bald Kids Rock a T-shirt I wear proudly but wish I did not have too. I am a proud supporter of Frankies Fight and I am happy to raise awareness of pediatric cancer and the need for a cure.

My son Jack was diagnosed with leukemia at age 7. On the last day of first grade, instead of going to the class picnic, he had to go for a lumbar puncture and chemo. Childhood cancer research is underfunded. Please bring awareness to this beast and help our kids.

I agree, I keep up with so many brain tumor inflicted children on care pages. I lost a granddaughter to glioblastoma multiforme 6 yrs. ago, surgery was not an option as this was on the brain stem, radiation gave her 10 months of very good life. Her older sister was diagnosed a few yrs before this with an ependymoma. Surgery went very well, with radiation following, she just celebrated 10 yrs brain cancer free. This is a cause that needs to be reckoned with..

I think this would be a great topic to discuss since it touches someone big and little lives.

I am 35 year Cancer Survivor. I was diagnosed at 15 w/Osteogenic Sarcoma (Bone Cancer). I was given a 20% chance of living TWO YEARS. My Left was amputated at the time & I endured a reoccurence in the Lung & nearly 3 years of Chemotherapy. I am living proof that there is indeed HOPE. But, we need more awareness. A show dedicated to this subject would be most helpful.

I am a mom who has a child with many medical needs. He does not have Cancer, but I have read about many other children who are affected or died of Pediatric Cancer. Dante and Alex are two of the pages I follow, as well as many more. Dante's mom is right that KIDS GET CANCER TOO! I think you should do a show about Pediatric Cancer. Although my son does not have Cancer, I want to help spread awareness of this terrible disease. I have read too many kids who have have suffered through treatment and unfortunately have died. It breaks my heart to see the pictures of these children and then realize that they are no longer here on earth to take anymore pictures of their beautiful face. These children are so brave. and my hero. They always have a smile on their face. If I didn't follow these children's journies, then I would feel like I am missing out on the special lives they have or had. We need to be an advocate for these children's parents since they need to focus on their children with their treatments, etc. All you need is 2 children's battle with this disease and boom, so many will help find a cure for this disease. I hope you will consider doing an episode about Pediatric Cancer. Thank You!!

Awareness needs to be raised for this beast that steals our youth 's childhood...and lifes. I run a non profit that works with childhood cancer and I pray for the day I am no longer needed. Just this morning upon reading my email....I find another child has gone on before us. My daughter along with too many others has paid the price of little funding and community awareness...please help us raise this to the top of the funding budgets....

This is an absoultely ESSENTIAL topic to discuss. You think it can never happen to you, until it does, and it DID happen to us. We lost our 16 year old son to Medulloblastoma in 2008. We went from living a normal life to learning about brain cancer, surgery, MRI's, and then the horrors of complications, coma, g-tubes, and the frightening reality that our son would probably die. Please consider discussing this important topic on your show!

There are many families out there that would be amazed and grateful if you would give time to Childhood Cancer awareness on your show. This is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but who really knows? I did not know until I was told my child had cancer, and another Mom at the hospital told me! Some things that would be good to show would be the childrens beautiful faces, their stories, (many are on Caringbridge), what a typical day is like (sorry- none are typical and each holds new suprises). The kids go through so much in treatment and with so much hope that they will survive. Families face diagnosis, surgery, chemo, side effects, bone marrow transplants, radiation, organ failure, regrowth, dressing changes, shots, IVs, NPO times, CTs, MRIs, waiting, the death of their children, disabling of their children, and the need for better research and clear answers to their questions. The general public is not aware that childhood cancer is so prevalent. It is a hard topic to face. The stories of the families and children faced with childhood cancer (many types) are inspiring. Please help the public to understand that it does exist and that they can help in many ways like, bringing a meal, mowing a lawn, bringing crafts-toys to the hospital. We were in the hospital unexpectedly for surgery on Christmas day, and people had left gifts for us! My daughter was diagnosed with Wilms tumor at such a young age it was scary! Cancer treatment is scary for adults, but when you have to watch your child go through it- it is a whole different story. We do not know what outcome the treatment will have on her growing body. We pray she never relapses and we are thankful the cure rate is hight, but I am not sure what that means because I have known quite a few families to relapse and lose their kids even to this. Her site is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/babyruthie

Thanking the good Lord above that I have not lost a child to cancer as some of the parents that have posted on here, but I am a Mother of 3 and my kids are just as vulnerable of receiving that diagnosis as their children and hopefully my voice will be heard! We as a country need to let ALL of our voices be heard, the money is out there and we need to ensure that it is going to allocated to the proper places. I feel it would be so beneficial to air this show especially during Sept. We must end the suffering of these beautiful children and all of those to come.

I suggested this subject on twitter to Jay a while back and am very glad to see this as one of the most popular. I contacted multiple people on twitter to honor her and view the www.caringbridges.org jounal of Alexa Brown. Wendy and Warren Brown went through an incredible journey with their daughter. If you choose this topic for your show, it will be another wonderful way to celebrate her life by making others aware of this horrific disease. Children are so vulnerable in their youth, but unfortunately Alexa will be 11 years old forever in our hearts. Please focus on this topic. Thank you.

I have seen the impact one 11 year old young lady's life made on so many people in our community and eventually around the world through her CaringBridge website. To honor her life and the lives of all our "Little Heroes" I ask you to PLEASE choose to do a show on childhood cancer. I proudly wear my ALEXA is my HERO button and gold ribbon today and everyday but it's time everyone learns what a gold ribbon represents.

Having watched my 13yr old son battle Osteosarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer, I see the incredible need for more funding and how neglected research has been for our children. They need our advocacy for them now!

You should highlight pediatric cancers regularly. At least as often as child safety issues. Cancer is the second leading cause of death of people under the age of 20 after accidents. It is the leading disease killer of children. 44 children will be diagnosed today with a form cancer. The number of children being diagnosed with cancer is increasing. My son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2006 at the age of 6. Last year L-MTP-PE was given Compassionate Use permission from the FDA. It is the first chemotherapy drug for osteosarcoma tro make it this far in 20 years. I would be happy to speak with anyone at your organization about childhood cancer.

This month (September) is only the 2nd year of "National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month". Cancer, in any form, deserves attention, but being the parent of a teenager with cancer, his and our lives will never be the same. Other cancers get their time in the spotlight to bring awareness, and I think it's time to address childhood cancers so that more resources can be made available for these children and their families. No parent ever wants to hear the word cancer in the same sentence with their childs name, yet I know all too well what a nightmare that is. More Doctors need the be aware that cancer should not be the last thing you look for in a child just because they think that's the last thing it would be. The particular cancer my son has, Ewings Sarcoma, is very rare and most of the time the way it's found is after some type of injury. Also, unfortunately, lots of the time because it takes so long to get a proper diagnosis, the disease has matastisized and in later stages, making it almost impossible to treat successfully. Any thing to get more awareness for these children and unfortunately the ones that will be affected should be done.

More attention needs to be focused on Childhood Cancer, my son has been fighting osteosarcoma for the past 3 years. Do you know that only one new chemo has been added to those to treat Osteosarcoma in the last 30 years. That is aweful. Also the reason so many children are dying every day of this cancer and yet the world comes to a stand still for the swine flu. Unbelieveable, when whose number can't even compete with the number of kids and young adults fighting for there very lifes.

46 kids each and every school day get diagnosed with a deadly Childhood Cancer. There are no known causes. NO known Cures. Not enough ADEQUATE FUNDING for the children fighting for their lives everyday. We must bring awareness to the public and our legislators as soon as possible.

I lost my son, Adam, almost 5 years ago. He was only 4. I lost him to a monster called Rhabdomyosarcoma. I was so shocked to learn of the lack of research into Pediatric cancer. People believe that giving money to ACS and doing the Relay for Life, etc. helps the children, but what they don't understand is that less than 1% of all the research funds raised goes to pediatric cancer research, and that funding goes to the more "popular" cancers. The orphan cancers receive barely any funding. The pharmaceutical companies will "flat out" tell you that it is not a "big market" item for them to invest their money into pediatric cancer research. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and we never even hear about it. September 13th is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. September 13th is also my son's birthday. Instead of being at a birthday party, we will be at a cemetery, once again shedding tears over the loss of our son. I have started a foundation in Adam's honor to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research, but I can not do it alone. I (we) can use all the help we can. Please address this as an important topic on your show. The world needs to know that children are dying, right here, right now. Thank you for your consideration. Thanks you, Nancy McGugin, Adam's Mommy - FOREVER!!

Well, it has been a while since I got all “mushy” and introspective, so look out ... today is an awesome day! I visited our really good friend Noah the other day in the hospital. He has been fighting really hard as of late against “the Beast” and since Bryce was tied up in the MRI scan room, I wanted to take the opportunity to stop by and wish him love. Although he was tired and full of pain meds, he seemed to recognize me and I was so glad that I saw him. To be honest, it was very difficult for me, but who am I to complain. I stepped out of the room and started to cry. Some of my favorite nurses were there to hug me and help stop the tears from engulfing me, but the pain doesn’t stop. As I write this ... days later ... I see Noah’s sweet face in clear view and I pray for him. My sadness stems from so many places, but mostly from a spot of love so deep in my heart that it physically pains me when it is poked at. And believe me, every time I think of one of these brave warriors taking a turn for the worst ... it is a knife to the heart. They are my kids, my sisters and brothers, my friends and my loved ones. You see, my dear friend is only one of a long list of children that I have come to love in this past year and a half. These kids (and their families) are not from my neighborhood, not from my high school or college, not related to people I knew at work, they don’t play with my kids, I don’t see them in local restaurants, nor are they people who grew up or live near friends of mine throughout life. Each individual has one thing in common with me and my family ... something that has forever changed my perspective on this world I live in ... CANCER. None of us has chosen this path, much like you do not choose a cavity, a flat tire or a lighting bolt to crack down the huge oak next to your house that when it falls to the ground takes with it your guest bedroom, half the bathroom, the living room (along with the 72” plasma TV) and your brand new Porche (after you just sent the first payment in the mail). However, I think we can all agree that this last example seems a bit more like hearing the words “your son has cancer”. All of us in the “cancer family” understands one thing above all else ... we need to NOT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. As I thought about my fellow comic book loving, movie quoting pal stuck in a room on 3CN making some really huge decisions about the course of his treatment, I am constantly reminded of how unimportant sooooooo many things are that we tend to “covet”. Cell phones and other technological “toys” ... computers ... name brands ... types of cars ... where we last vacationed ... who paid the check ... who said what to whom ... who didn’t return a call we expected ... the size I just went up on my jeans ... the number that makes up my bank balance ... the comment that was sent my way from an angry driver through the window on a highway full of other drivers going to wherever ... the fact that I did NOT get told today how “special” I am. As I think of ALL of my friends who are fighting, have fought (some won and far too many lost), and those who will fight against this “bastard” cancer ... I realize that that we are blessed by every soul we meet. Every brave child warrior who has lost his/her battle has instilled a fire in the heart of their parents and the people who have shared in their journeys. I am reminded of a particular mother who has been an inspiration to Nicole and I throughout our own perilous journey. Even on the day that she lost her baby girl, she spoke of hope and joy and a promise of a better day ahead, and on the days following her baby’s funeral she was a source of inspiration to all the other families fighting against “the beast” ... ours included ... and she continues to fight! And this is just one Mother. There are millions more. Today is a day of remembrance, of the warriors who have lost their lives and those who have yet to live their lives because they are caught up in the fight, and of hope -- and determination -- that we WILL FIND A CURE. I am the proud father of a small MAN. He has lived a life that has been full of drama, sadness, pain, frustration, trauma and less than perfect circumstances, and through it all ... he smiles and perseveres! Our family will forever be changed because of cancer, and for the better. We are wiser, we love more, we are open to more love and kindness and we reject negativity and resentment. I will never see the world the same because of cancer. My life’s goal will always be to find a cure because of cancer. That is our life ... the card we’ve been dealt ... and I am honored to live it! I am a better person because of the precious people I’ve met that I now call friends, because of cancer. You have all helped us to reach a better understanding of love and compassion, just by simply standing at our side throughout this journey. However, I must ask you ... especially today ... to do something more! Send a donation as little as $5 to: CureSearch Attn: CureSearch Walks 4600 East West Highway, Suite 600 Bethesda, MD 20814 We need a cure so that these babies of ours never have to endure any more pain and suffering, and the only way to do this is to get money to push forward the research towards a cure. Please help! Continued love and blessings to all of you! Much love, Michael

So many people have made wonderful comments and I share their passion and commitment. Thank you for considering this very worthwhile topic. It's not the sympathy we need. All of us could become better people if we could become more aware of the seriousness of this childhood threat to ALL children. Better yet, many of us want to mobilize to do whatever we can to help end these large number of deaths of children. Thanks so much for considering this topic.

It is good to see how quickly the parents are mobilized, the internet has connected us. Let's keep this the top voted IDEA....I pray they are hearing us loud and clear! I am Ben's dad, he is my inspiration. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/benbaltz http://www.teamunite.net Many families---ONE Cause! Cure Childhood Cancer!

What will it take to bring childhood cancer into the forefront of America's consciousness? There are pink ribbons and consumer items absolutely everywhere but NO gold! WHY? Surely it doesn't need to require some celebrity's child being diagnosed with the number one disease killer of children?! My daughter died on April 23rd, my only child, my extraordinary almost 11 year old Rowan. Grieving her loss is as unpredictable and chaotic as a roller coaster ride from hell. I hate it. She was so close to the finish line, for the second time, and we lost her to a common virus 4 weeks after she received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from a total stranger for relapsed leukemia. I cannot comprehend how or why this happened to her. After all that she'd been through, all that she bore with grace and courage and joy, she died... Shelly, mommy of amazing Rowan Grace

We just lost another friends child to cancer......and we continue to battle cancer with our 3 year old Noah....funding for cancer research for children is pathetic and if it wasn't for hospitals like St. Judes, where would we be? The government needs to wake up and open their eyes and realize that more funding is needed to find a cure for this horrific disease....I wonder if things might change if someone in a high political offices child was diagnoised and killed by this disease? please do a show on this topic and help americans open thier eyes.

Please consider doing a program re: childhood cancers. My 7 year old daughter is fighing the fight now. She was diagnosed in March 2009. She has endured many surgeries, horrible chemotherapy, and is being left with some unpleasant memories. She has also been blessed with a loving, caring community of friends and family. Everyone in the small town where we live, from the hospital where I work to the many business and churches have adopted her and our family. The out pouring of love and friendship has really been amazing. You can follow her story at www.caringbridge.org/visit/unstoppable She has brought so many people together and inspired so much love and support. Thank you for considering this idea. We need the support and cause to grow as large as breast cancer support and research!! We need help getting the word out. Thank You. Elizabeth's mom Kathy

Childhood cancer would be a great subject. Not only is it important for society that we raise awareness and increase research funding, but it's hard to think of any subject with more potential to move people emotionally. Every parent's worst nightmare would be to have to watch, helplessly, while a much beloved and trusting child suffers through pain and harsh, damaging treatments for months or years - and and then dies anyway. There are so many stories of children who have died from cancer - and of childhood cancer survivors - that would touch people's hearts. (p.s. My daughter, 18 years old, was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 10. She is now a sophomore at Yale. We feel very, very blessed...

Our eyes were closed to childhood cancer until our daughter was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on November 26, 2007. Now they are wide open and it is devestating to see it all around us. It breaks our hearts. Our daughter is doing great and we are so THANKFUL for all of the support we have received and the many doctors and nurses that continue to care for her. See for yourself at carepages.com LuciKathleen.

Please do a show on Childhood Cancer and in particular, the lack of funding for research. See Cure Magazine artilce "No Child Left Behind" in which the statement is made regarding research and development of chilhdood cancer drugs: "Children will never represent a market force." As the mother of a 13 year old son now battling leukemia for the 3rd time in his short life, reading this statement -while my son was receiving chemotherapy treatment in the hospital surrounded by numerous other sick, bald, battling children- made me realize that the public needs to be informed of the realities of childhood cancer and the lack of funding it receives (regardless of the many poster children seen when the large cancer organizations need to raise funds, mostly for adult cancers) I urge you to highlight these amazing warrior/heroes and also the lack of funding they receive from public and private funding. Although cure rates are 78% currently, they have stagnated over the past 20 years, and less than 4 cancer drugs have been developed for children in the past 20 years. Less than 3% of all cancer funding is allocated to pediatic cancers. Childhood cancers are completely different from adult cancers, and are treated differently, and most people are not aware of this. Children also suffer myriad lifelong late effects from the very treatments that saved their lives, which again, most people are not aware of. Please give these children a voice. They have been through so much, and too many have died already, and they deserve to be heard. Lisa Molina - Mom to Thomas, age 13, battling leukemia for over 10 years and still fighting! Austin, TX www.carepages.com/carepages/thomasmolina

Please make this a priority! We need more awareness and funding! As a mom that just lost my child to cancer, we have to stop this horrble disease and bring it to peoples attention. Breast cancer gets so much funding and acknowledgment, they have everything from shoes, toilet paper and candy to appliances with the pink cancer ribbon, why cant we get this going where our children and the GOLD ribbon is noticed everywhere!!! Im not saying that breast cancer isnt a good cause, BUT KIDS GET CANCER TOO!!!! And they are not getting the awareness they need......read my ANGELS story a www.caringbridge.org/visitlaurenbayonbrown

Childhood cancer is a family disease. It will affect each member differently during treatment and afterwards. Our family was very fortunate that our child survived some terrible complications during treatment, for which we are very greatful. However, now we are all dealing with the effects of treatment. Some success has been acheived with the increased the survival rate of childhood cancer, but I am not sure if we understand the effects these treatments have on young, growing bodies. Treatment affects the brain which it is formulating, the nervous system, bones, muscles, etc. When an adult is treated for cancer, these body parts are already formulated and mature. A child has chemicals and radiation introduced into their bodies at toxic levels during critical growth periods. This treatment, while it MAY save a childs life, can be devastating to their future. It does affect their life choices. Children with cancer are not 'small adults', which is how treatment started. Their body make up is different from adults & they should be treated differently. This will only be solved through research. Research will only be increased with increased awareness and increased funding. It does make a difference when it is your child that recieves the diagnosis.

I am a mom of a child with cancer. Her battle began at seven years old. She is now nine and still fighting. Everyone needs to know that this is a horrendous disease that doesn't get as much attention as it should. For God's Sake's these are our babies. Anyone who allocates the small amount of funding for pediatric cancers should spend a day in the pediatric cancer ward. I am sure some eyes would be opened!!!!

My son lost his battle with Ewing's Sarcoma only 3 weeks ago. I don't understand why we have to fight so hard to bring awareness to this underfunded desease that is killing our babies!! Does it only get reconized if you can get Deanna Favre or Michael J FOx on board?!

As i work in the medical field i see more than i care to of childhood loss to cancer. I believe we need to putforth more effort and more awareness to to this ugly gene.

It is time you do something to shine more light on these kids going through HELL fighting this disease!! I wish I could take all of what my Son has had to go through, I would in a heartbeat. It's time to stand up for our KIDS!!!! Thank You, pbowman@airt.net

We really need to promote awareness for childhood cancer, it affects so many children, yet it seems as though no one wants to talk about it because it is too sad. I used to be one of those people, until my son was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor in 2005. If we can get more awareness, like October being breast cancer awareness month, then maybe we can get more funding for more research. Childhood cancer is more rare than adult cancers, so it is more difficult to get funding because of the statistics. Unlike most adult cancers, childhood cancer is not related to lifestyle; these children don't do anything to cause their disease. Please help us raise awareness!! Before another child has to die from this "Beast".

The numbers are shocking. Everyday approximately 2 classrooms full of elementary school children are diagnosed with cancer. In 2005 my then 3 1/2 yr old son was one of those. He was diagnosed with a rare form called a Wilms Tumor. He successfully completed chemotherapy and radiation. Today he is a happy, cancer free, 7 yr old. I was one of those parents that thought "It will never happen to me." Boy was I wrong! Cancer can strike any child, in ANY family! We must raise awareness!

My daughter was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour 18 months ago. There is very little to no information on her tumour as it usually appears in the ovaries or prostate it appears in the brain .01% of the time. With no inforamtion on this tumour it was very hard to treat and was a guessing game for the doctors on which meds would help. With more research I would think these problems could be lowered. My daughter is one of the lucky ones that survived her battle with cancer and has minamal side effects from it but we know many we were not so lucky.

This past weekend I participated in the Curesearch Milestones Walk to Conquer Kids Cancer. Over 600 people attended, more than 180K was raised yet one network reported for about 15 seconds on the 10 o'clock news. Unless people have lived this nightmare, they just don't get it, nor do they seem to care. Cancer is the #1 killer of our children by disease. A child dies every 3 1/2 hours. Please help us spread the word. No one ever thinks it will happen to them.. Most of us will bury a parent, some of them too soon from cancer. Some of us will bury a sibling, some of them also too soon from cancer. Some of us will bury our spouse. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BURY THEIR CHILD. Please help us raise awareness. In July 2008, President Bush signed the Carolyn Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act for 30 million dollars a year for 5 years. No money has been allocated.

Too many children are being diagnosed with cancer. Too many do not survive. More needs to be done to find a cure. More funding must be made available.

Please do a show, a week of shows, on pediatric cancer. It is so prevelent yet receives so little attention and even less funding. Here in Ohio, the city of Clyde has an EPA confirmed children's "cancer cluster". The number of cases is high and we just lost another child on august 6th,2009, Alexa Brown. Alexa was 11yrs old and there are more chiildren still fighting this terrible disease. Please go to Alexa's site : http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexabrown for a first hand look at the journey of this wonderful child. Thank you.

This subject MUST be brought out to the public in anyway possible. These children are suffering beyond most peoples imagination. Unless you have been involved with or had a child have cancer people do not realize, as I did not, what these children and families go through. Bless these children. Gayl Indiana

I feel people need to be aware other then the ones going thru this because there was a family in clyde ohio who lost there daughter Alexa about a month ago very sad she battled cancer for awhile and we all miss her she had impacted so many people that it was amazing. We also haso have what you call a Clyde Cancer Cluster going on a hole bunch of kids with cancer and no one can tell anyone y so please we need MORE ATTENTION TO THE CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

My son Brendon Knight died October 23rd 2008 of a brain tumor. The Dr's at his hospital are still using the same treatments they were 10 years ago and more children are dying now! Please do a show. Make folks aware of the importance of good healthy nutrition early in ife. Junk food accelerates the growth of cancer and that is what they allow the children to eat in the hospital. Our son survived longer once we took him off the chemo and radiation and anti-biotics, and was healthier than the previous 2 years of treatment, the cancer growth slowed down a lot too. Please see www.caringbridge.org/visit/brendonknight for his story

I know of children with cancer, specifically brain cancers, and this would be a wonderful way to increase awareness.

I've seen the devastation childhood cancer can cause an entire family. My brother has 2 children that have been diagnosed with leukemia within 2 years. Tyler was 12 when she was diagnosed with AML in February 2006. Tanner was 10 when he was diagnosed will T-cell ALL in August 2008. The amount of sadness this disease brings is unimaginable. I watched my brother's face as he received the news Tanner had cancer--it was horrible to know once again, they would have to travel the long and excruciating journey to save his life just as they had done for Tyler. We need to help bring awareness to this so more children don't have to suffer. We are grateful for every day with Tanner and Tyler and want them to have a chance at a terrific life. They are 2 of about 20 children in Clyde, OH that have some form of cancer. Please help bring awareness to this before many more children lose their battle.

Parents aren't aware that children can get cancer...I wasn't. My son was 1 year and 2 months old when we found out. I NEVER knew children could get cancer... my son died on 6/26/2006. We need to raise more awareness to this so that people can donate to help find a cure.

Please combine the totals for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Pediatric Cancers. The disparity in funding research for childhood cancers vs. other cancers is shocking. My daughter (15) has been fighting Hodgkins Lymphoma for 13 months now. She's the strongest person I've ever met, but I know that there are thousands others like her, kids fighting for their lives, who would benefit from more advanced, less toxic treatment protocols. Let's do this for the kids! www.caringbridge.org/visit/sheaanderluh

Childhood cancer is devastating to families. The child is usually pretty resilient, taking all the poking and proding, tests, surgeries, and all that comes with this horrible disease. Most people don't even know that cancer is the leading killer of children. They have no idea, and I pray they never have to understand the depths of the pain and suffering these kids go through. We need more awareness in order to increase the funding which will help with research so that they will have a chance. Please help us gain this awareness. This is personal because my 2 y/o great nephew is fighting for his life right now. Neuroblastoma has no cure. Please help!

I think it should be on this subject as there are too many children battling and dying from cancer. More attention needs to be put on this subject after all what if it was one of our kids. Wouldn't you want attention focused on curing your child's suffering. I write this in memory of Zach White,Alexis Brown and Garrett Chanley all who died this year after battling cancer. They were just kids.....Teresa Kamps-Chica

Please go to this site: www.caringbridge.org/visit/christianlosurdo to see a beautiful face of an innocent child affected by cancer. Thanfully, he is in remission now 3.5 years. But not without the threat of long-term phyical side effects, not to mention emotional and psychological damage. And he is considered one of "the lucky ones". I urge you to read his story and look at his pictures. I have also listed many childhood cancer facts that will leave you dumbfounded!! Like the fact that Childhood Cancers are the #1 disease killer of children - more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. Or the fact that only about 20% of adults with cancer show evidence that the disease has spread to distant sites on the body at diagnosis yet 80% of children are diagnosed with advanced disease. The list goes on... Please help our children by bringing awareness to this deadly disease!! Especially during this month, September. Let people know the symbol is a GOLD RIBBON. Next month we will see pink EVERYWHERE...yet breast cancer isn't even the leading cause of death in women. I would love to see September as GOLDEN as October is pink!!

We really need to take this issue seriously. Each day I pray for a list of children that continues to grow. And unfortuneately each day another child from that list becomes more ill. And at least once a week I hear of another child who has died from this monster. These children are our future, we need to make research a priority if we want them to be with us.I am blessed because a child I love is in remission, but the agony and torment that got him there was awful to watch. The public needs to be informed that we will never give up the fight to help these children see their next birthday. And we need them to join us in letting the government know that they need to fund this research immediately. If not me, then who ? If not now, then when?

RIP ALEXA BROWN & SHILAH DONNERSBACH! GOD BLESS!

Have a show on pediatric cancer. We have lost friends to these terrible cancers.

We definitely need more awareness about childhood cancer. I believe ALL parents would be interested in watching this episode!

We need a cure and / or better treatments, but we can not get to that without awareness and funding. Please consider helping our cause to further educate the public. I am glad that many people do not understand the devastation a childhood cancer diagnosis because that would mean it was far more common. However, as a parent that has lived with the tornado effect that the diagnosis brings I know we need to fight for our kids. They are our future. My daughter like many others experienced many complications while on treatment which included heart damage that could lead her to a transplant need and we know that there will be further complications caused by the treament as she gets older. My daughter was fortunate in that she is a survivor today, we have experienced the loss of so many friends and acquaintances over the last year and a half due to cancer. We continue to fight for more awareness and hope you will help us in that fight! Thank you!

As a parent who has watched her baby girl at the tender age of almost 3 yrs old die from childhood cancer and many other families go threw the same thing, i would love to see more coverage on this topic!! There are so many many families and children who go threw this daily and many more to come. what if it was your child? your neice or nephew, grandson or granddaughter? What would you do to save them? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE ANYTHING!! This is one more way to help one more ray of hope for these kids to get more funding and support!!

Cancer sucks... We need more awareness. The cure is within reach for our children. We can't give up. Pat Burkhart (Fan of Alexa Brown)

Please do a show, a week of shows, on pediatric cancer. It is so prevelent yet receives so little attention and even less funding. Here in Ohio, the city of Clyde has an EPA confirmed children's "cancer cluster". The number of cases is high and we just lost another child on august 6th,2009, Alexa Brown. Alexa was 11yrs old and there are more chiildren still fighting this terrible disease. Please go to Alexa's site : http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexabrown for a first hand look at the journey of this wonderful child. Thank you.

Please bring this terrible problem to the nation's attention. It is more horrendous that imagined.

Pediatric cancer needs to be brought to everyone's attention!

My only child, a beautiful 13 year old daughter, has incurable brain cancer. The amounts of funding for research to cure these cancers is spread quite unevenly across the cancer diagnoses. Maybe you should look up the NIH figures? I think breast cancer gets somewhere around 586 million dollars a year in research funding...all 24 childhood cancers get 171 million...that means my child's disease gets approximately 7 million in research funding from the NIH per year. I will bury my child because our lawmakers do not seem to believe that children's cancer deserves at least an equal amount of funding as adult cancers. I wonder about that...alot. Please help us raise awareness for these children. They are the bravest warriors you'd ever want to meet. Laurie, Kat's mom www.caringbridge.org/visit/katherinebarnard

Voting for ^^Alexa^^ Brown who is playing with angels tonight.

If you want to know how childhood cancer is affecting our children, attend a child's funeral. That's all you will need to convince you that we NEED awareness! Our kids are DYING every day!

WE NEED TO KEEP OUR KIDS ALIVE. OUR KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE. SAVE OUR KIDS, THANK YOU, GRANDMA

RIP Alexa Brown and Shilah Donnersbach! GOD BLESS!

My son is a pediatric cancer patient. Through the grace of God and the knowledge and expertise of the medical staff, he is in remission. Through our journey we have witnessed too many young people, babies, toddler, preteens and teenagers, not survive their battle with this dreaded disease. We need to increase the awareness of childhood cancer. We need cures! Our children are our futures and they need a fighting chance.

Out of respect for the COURAGE of the children affected with all kinds of childhood cancer, please do a show - These children are AMAZING considering what they have to go through. www.caringbridge.org/visit/chloedowney

Out of respect for the COURAGE of the children affected with all kinds of childhood cancer, please do a show - These children are AMAZING considering what they have to go through. www.caringbridge.org/visit/chloedowney

As a parent with a child with cancer, I have found that our children are not being given a fair chance. We are their voice and no one seems to hear us. Why is it that October can be plastered with pink ribbons and everywhere you turn you hear about breast cancer. Don't get me wrong... I think it too is important. However, why is it breat cancer funding gets 12% of the Federal funding and all 12 major pediactric cancers combined get less than 3%. We need to start doing more for our children....our future!

We lost (he's not really lost because we know where he is) our son Patrick in 2007 to AML - adult form of leukemia. Please bring more awarness to this issue. We know of way too many children that are suffering or who've gone on to get their "cure" from the greatest phycician of all tiime. Patrick, Austin, Bryce, Caleb, Robert, Marissa, Mackenzie, Kara, Alexia the list can and will go on and on. Please help our children. www.caringbridge.org/visit/patrickschichtel

in honor of alexa brown the most beutiful child that lost her battle. please help the rest of the kids so they dont loose their battle

to all the kids that have childhood cancer please help them find a cure for them so they can live a regular life just like we do.

Please visit carepages.org and caringbridge.org and read about only a small number of children diagnosed with cancer. I have been reading about Natha, Alexia, Max, Alexa, Morgan, Carter, Caleb, Ravyn, Andrew, Ella, oh my gosh, the list could go on and on. You only need to read one update to feel the bravery and strength of these young children. These families are having to do things I could only imagine. I pray you would take the time to do your part in helping these children. It would be a huge start in helping to get funding where it needs to be to find a cure for childhood cancer. Thank you and God Bless You.

you really should do a show on this.. It should have been done a long time ago! Please do it for all the kids out there suffering! Victoria Sutton has AML M5 Leukemia 11q23 with MLL. She is only 8 years old. She has finished her chemo therapy, but now she is very sick. Her temperature has stayed at and around 104.2 degrees, and she has a rash all over her entire body and a very painful cough. Her website says that she has spells where she coughs so badly that she can't stop is is constantly struggling for air. The doctors have put her on all types of medicine and antibiotics, but they don't seem to be helping. Pray for her and her family. Pray for a quick recovery for Victoria, and please pray that soon she will be her bubbly self. It amazes me how strong her family's faith has been through all this. Prayer does make a difference, and they need a lot of it. just how fortunate we are that we don't have to endure this. Cause we really are.

as a person who visits sick children on caring bridge & care pages i must say that childhood cancer does not get the attention it so needs and deserves.they are the kids of our future.not only that it is so very sad to see a little baby go from normal to so sick and dying in 2 months,kids playing,swimming,riding their bikes one day and then the next having portacaths put in to start chemo all because they started walking funny or said their belly hurt.please jay do a show on these children that so need help to live to bring the attention to america and our president for funding.thank you drema pearson

You know 1 in 330 is really a large number of children affected by this, then you think of those who have had someone lost to cancer or those even affected by this and the thing that gets me more than anything else... As an EMT and as just a person who is never short of feeling.... THESE ARE KIDS. That in it self gets me. If you cant be moved by cancer or by anything else Kids, Kids bodies have a coping mechanism in of itself with dealing with traumatic things I know this as an EMT yet people dont get moved... I just dont understand. As Kids continue to fight when instead they should be laughing running jumping and doing all those kid things that give grown ups headaches or goosebumps, we can debate health care...yet fail to care. In the medical field we have to start promoting the cure, I find it hard to believe when we can send people and things to mars and other planetary areas we still can not find nor develop cancer free state of being. So when is enough enough.....? Alexa you know we were and are still here for you... We have not nor will we ever forget You or any child...Yellow is for the month, but cancer was for their life...... so bring on the show, Bring about a change and lets do something.... for failure isnt an option....its life, and our future. Alexa Brown I love you.

Pediatric cancer is underfunded and something needs to be done about it. This show would be a good medium to spread awareness of childhood cancer.

This topic NEEDS attention. There are way too many children in our nation that are passing away, or, like my son, suffering long treatments due to not enough awareness/funding for this cause. Sarah

Cancer is devastating and just about everyone has had their lives touched by it. Watching a loved one (or enduring it yourself) go through the harsh treatments and battle of cancer is just horrible!!! NOW IMAGINE a >CHILD< having to go through this!! Or having to watch a child...YOUR child... go through this!! It is TRAGIC!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... the time to shed some light on this subject and much needed awareness is long over due. I feel like this is the "elephant in the room" no one wants to acknowledge. Some think it is just "too sad" or depressing..>TOOOO BAD!! We've LIVED IT! Others don't want to face the fact that their children aren't immortal like we like to think... That isn't going to STOP this beast or find a cure!! I know others in the "childhood cancer community" have tried to get this topic on that "other" little talk show ("O") to no avail... I would much rather see it here presented by DOCTORS!! Thank you for your consideration!! Rene' Losurdo - Mommy to Cancer-Suvivor-Hero, Christian-8, Devin-6, Brendan-3 and baby due in 3 weeks...

I'm fortunate to have 2 healthy children, but I am well aware of the fact that could change in an instant. A family here in Delaware had a 14 year old healthy, active son who played all weekend in a soccer tournament. Sunday evening he wasn't feeling well so they took him to AI DuPont Children's Hospital where they got the worst news of their life. Their brave young man fought hard for several months and he never left the hospital. His parents and sister I have never personally met or known, but I kept up with their CaringBridge site and they are all absolutely AMAZING! They started the B+ Foundation to help cancer families out with the cost of the disease. You need parents/families like this that have been on the front lines and know the high cost paid. Just take the time to read their journal entries from the beginning of their nightmare and you will see what a true Hero their son is and what an inspiration the family is. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough

Up until January 2008, I was totally unaware of how many children were battling cancer – that was until my own child was diagnosed. I was shocked to say the least. Hospitals are overflowing with pediatric cancer patients. The chemo treatments wreak havoc on the bodies of our children. Too many of these children die, not just from the disease, but from the treatments meant to save their lives. It’s a sad truth that nobody wants to hear about or acknowledge. America needs a wake-up call. Who better than “The Doctors” to make that call? What better stage to discuss childhood cancer than your show? Step up to the plate and show us that you support our cancer-warriors and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

Please do a show on pediatric cancer.Cancer kills so many kids in a year,in my home town of Clyde,Ohio,alot of out children are dieing and are sick from cancer and we need more help to find out whats going on with our sweet children.I sweet little girl Alexa passed away from cancer in our small town,how many children do we need to lose to this cancer.Please think about doing this show. thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. amber y RIP Alexa Brown..God Bless you all.. www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexabrown small town in ohio

RIP ALEXA BROWN AND SHILAH DONNERSBACH! GOD BLESS! CANCER SUCKS!

I am a kindergarten teacher. The P.E. teacher asked me how long one girl had been limping and did she hurt herself. We noticed her thigh was swollen and told the parents. It turned out to an osteosacoma and she is now in the second grade and walking, playing on the playground equipment and has a lot of her hair back. It's been a journey with the parents and students. Just a simple comment by another teacher and a child's life was saved!

I would really like to see you do a show on this. I have a 5 year old daughter that was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in April 2008. So many people do not know how serious childhood cancer is and how much there really is out there. Everyone knows about breast cancer and not that it isn't important, but what about our children who are the future of this country. Why isn't cancer research for children more funded?

Please do this important show.

I find it ironic that there are currently 330 comments. 1 in 330 children will be diagnosed with cancer.,only it is not just that child who is diagnosed, it is that family. On July 29,2008 I stood in The Oval Office with my son, Wyatt, a childhood cancer survivor, as President Bush signed The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act into law. After 3 years of work, the bill passed in The House, and The Senate by unanimous consent. As of today The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act has not been made a part of the Presidents budget. It still remains unfunded. Childhood cancer is the number-one disease killer of our children. Childhood cancer kills more children every year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined. With awareness comes support and funding, with funding comes research, and with research we will get closer to a cure for our nations most valuable resource, OUR CHILDREN! Will you please consider helping parents raise awareness for our children on a national level? Will you stand with parents of children with cancer and help make September known as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? Kris Rech Mom to Wyatt, a Wilms Tumor Survivor

Please consider doing an episode on Childhood Cancer during September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

I can't stress enough how much we need funding for childhood CANCER. Research for Pediatric Cancer is extremely important. Tooooo many of our children are dying due to this ugly thing called CANCER. My son was on the cusp of being and adult when he was diagnosied with a rare Spinal Cancer. He was 21 in 2005. Caringbridge and Carepages help keep families informed. We find out about different treatments and keep up with other families who are all part of this ONE FAMILY called CANCER. The support is amazing. This is my sons site www.caringbridge.org/visit/ryanroman , We need as much funding as possible to try and come up with some cure for Pediatric Cancer. Childhood Cancer and Awareness should not be swept under the rug.....So many other Cancers are addressed on a regular basis....But what about our Children????? Your show can help us all by bringing awareness to this horrible disease that is taking our children from us. It can bring awareness to the fact that Childhood Cancer Research is underfunded. Keeping the Hope and Faith Alive....... Debbie Roman

As I write this, a child will die from cancer. In another 4 hours another child will die; and another 4 hours after that. Every 4 hours, a child dies from cancer. Cancer is the number ONE killer, by disease, of children under 15. Yet the funding for research into improved treatments and possible cures has stagnated and dwindled. My daughter is just 11 months removed from having battled cancer for nearly three years. She was fortunate to have benefitted from past research into treatments for her cancer. We need to make sure that fewer children - indeed, no more children - and their families suffer from this disease, by raising the awareness of the issue of childhood cancer and the urgency to continue funding research.

Help bring awareness to the heartbreak of childhood cancer. Too many die.

Childhood cancer remains the #1 cause of death due to disease in children. Childhood cancer does NOT discriminate on the basis of age, sex or race. Here are some statistics: * Each year cancer kills more children between 1 and 20 years of age than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS, combined. * Every year, over 12,500 children and teenagers are diagnosed with cancer. * Each year about 2,300 children and teenagers die from cancer. This means that every 4 hours a child will die from cancer. Every day. * One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before age 20. * Some forms of childhood cancer have proven to be so resistant that even in spite of the great research strides made, most of those children die. Up to 75 percent of the children with cancer can now be cured. We need to raise awareness. We need increased funding. We need to be their voices.

My grand daughter KK had Wilm's Tumor stage 5(cancer in BOTH kidney's) at the age of 15 months. By the grace of GOD she is healed and is now 4yrs old. Please give our kids fighting this disease the attention they deserve. Wilm's they say is rare, but if you look into it it's not so rare any more. Help us find a cure and get the attention we deserve for our kids. www.caringbridge.org/visit/caydencesorter

J Foster, Children are our future. What else is there! More children are being diagnosed everyday with cancer and you don't see gold you see pink. Funds that are promised by the government are never delivered. Childhood cancer needs the support, it isn't going away soon and it can't be hid, so lets quit pretending and start acting.

Justin, 14 years old, diagnosed GBM (brain cancer) died July 29, 2009

Our daughter Maddison Barnett was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma bone tumor in her rihgt leg just below her knee August 23, 2007 when she was 8 years old. She had her leg amputated from the knee down. Six months later while on treatment it spread to her lung. She had lung surgery and 2 months later it came back thaen she had another lung surgery. It came back again 3 months later. They would'nt do another surgery unless we could show that the chemo was working.It spread to her heart and her brain. She passed away on March 6, 2009. It is not fair that they are using the same chemo on her cancer since 1980. We live in hell with out her. We will spend the rest or our life raising money and awareness to Osteosarcoma research. We have raised $10,000. in the last six months for research. She was so brave and never complained, she changed alot of lives and brought alot of people to the LORD. For my angle love mom! Thanks Tanya Barnett (tanyabarnett3@yahoo.com)

We lost our son to childhood cancer at the age of nine....one year ago. Please bring awareness to this disease - too many children have lost their battle and too many our in the fight. Our children deserve this - our forever angels.

Our world was turned upside down when our teenage daughter was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma (bone cancer) after a year of treatment she is going on 22 months in remission, but is now living with life altering side effects. She has spent the last year in bed due to unbearable pain in her back and hips, unable to walk, sit, or stand for more then 10 minutes at a time. These are the side effects from radiation and chemo, severe nerve and tissue damage, fragile bones, stress fractures. She is on 9 different medications including morphine just to get through each day. We continue to search for pain relief, as we have been told many times," years ago kids did not live through treatment, so this is now something new dealing with the side effects,but we're just not there yet with answers". So it is left to the parents to search for answers without a end in site. Watching your child in unbearable pain is heart breaking for the parents, siblings, family,and friends there has to be something someone can do to help! We need research for a cure and for the side effects of the life saving treatment. https://www.carepages.com/carepages/nikkiweinberg

RIP Alexa Brown and Shilah Donnersbach! Cancer Sucks! God Bless!

Cancer is killing our children! There is very little funding for research. Nobody knows unless they are personally affected. Please help bring us out of the shadows. My 5 year old daughter has a brain tumor. There is no research for her. Our children need a bailout!!! A dad with a kid with a brain tumor.

Please do this one. Children are our only hope for the future, the reason we get up everyday and fight the good fight. If only we all could see life thru the innocent of a young child, this world would be so much better. We need to find a cure for our angels on earth. Thank-you. Julie

I was not aware that September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month until September of 2005 when my daughter, Jean was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I had never been on an oncology floor of a Children's hospital until my daughter started chemo treatments. I was one of those people who thought it could never happen to my child, but it did. We need to help rasie awareness for research and treatment of the many kinds of childhood cancer. They do not seem so rare when it is your child.

I would really enjoy seeing more childhood cancer awareness. Although I barely missed the boat since I was diagnosed at age 18 with Stage 3 Melanoma, I have been a child that had to deal with the nasty "C" word. Luckily, I was treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I'm only 19 now, and I just finished treatment. I still keep up with many children and their stories. I've seen some very very very sad cases (every story is sad and unfortunate). Childhood cancer crosses my mind every single day, but some people never even think about it! Please do a show about raising awareness for childhood cancers!!!

Please hear our voices, please help our children. I am a mother of a child with Cancer. My Daughter has been fighting cancer since Jan 06. She was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma (a rare bone concer) in her left tibia. We had done a bone resection w/alograph replacement. The hours of recovery, the months of chemo & the weeks of radiation. Is more than anyone can endure..yet somewhere beneath it all, She still can find a way to smile. Then in Dec 08, due to a bone infection & finding that Sarah's cancer had returned, but this time in her lungs (which is where this cancer will relapse) we were forced to amputate her leg. A leg she had not walked on in almost 3yrs. Now Sarah has endured more chemo treatments, two thorocotomies and now we are facing possible stem-cell transplant. I was told that with her relapse she only has a 20-40% chance of surviving this relapse. Those odds are not good are they??? So where is the research we need to get Sarah's odds to 100%??? They are not there, and they need to be. We need to bring more awareness. Sarah is among so many children having to live a life of "what ifs". Childhood cancer NOT ONLY affects the kids....it's takes over everyone around it. It consumes every moment of our day, of our night. Every possible moment we stop & think. Because we have to live in the moment, because cancer can take our children at any time.. So many people take forgranted their everyday....for us, our everyday means so much. SO PLEASE hear our voices...bring attention to Childhood Cancer. One day, you too could be standing right where we are today. WWW.Carepages.Com/SarahT95

I can give you over 12,000 reasons to do a show on childhood cancer. Each reason has a name, a face, a mother, a father, grandparents, maybe siblings, and a story. Many people like myself with children with cancer had no clue that their child could have cancer before they were diagnosed. There is no screening, no testing, no reason to think that your child could get cancer. There are some cancers in children that have no cure. This information needs to be shared with the world. Our children are dying and the drug companies are telling us that it isn't profitable to research new drugs to help them live.

My son underwent treatment for T-Cell ALL (leukemia) after he was diagnosed in 1993. The two-year treatment stretched to two and a half because low blood counts caused delays at times. He had two illnesses that were related to his almost non-existent immune system - a type of pneumonia that is seen mostly in AIDS patients, and a respiratory virus that was usually only life-threatening in infants and the very old. Throughout his treatment, he was scheduled for bone marrow tests and spinal taps every nine weeks. But, he's now a healthy, normal 22 year old male! He graduated from high school on schedule, and was extremely athletic. He's in the middle of taking an engineering program - so he wasn't affected academically at all, and was probably one of the most popular kids in his class. The doctors have mentioned at times that they would like to have various professionals talk to him and maybe do some tests - not because there's anything wrong - but because they'd like to see if there is something about him, or what we did during treatment that helped him come through so amazingly well. Unfortunately, even though it's been almost 15 years since he's completed treatment, they still don't have enough resources available to do that. They barely are able to keep up with the kids that need help! It's too bad ... Not to say that he has no ill effects - he has some migraines, and is somewhat absent-minded and forgetful at times, but who can really judge if those would have been part of his being anyway, or if they resulted from treatment. More funding might help them find some useful knowledge to help other kids through treatment while minimizing some of the late effects!

As I am writing this note, another child will be diagnosed with cancer or die from cancer. For my grandson Tyler Cyr it took three weeks from diagnosis to his passing. W were all so hopeful for his recovery, but because of the Beast, he contracted Fornier Gangrien, a nasty infection. So you see cancer isn't just cancer...it comes with all these horrific infections that young bodies can't fight off. You who have your children and grandchildren to hold and love remember this is your fight too. You need to fight to protect your loved ones from contracting this disease. My family and our friends are doing what we can, but it takes a lot of money and research to kill this beast. Think of ways you can help. If you can't afford the donations, then jump on the volunteer band-wagon. Don't let the Beast win!!! Write your President and other elected officials to make this a priority in their budget. Tyler's light will always shine and so will the light of all the other Angels who have passed...it is up to us to make that light blinding. #32's gram...

There needs to be a show on Childhood Cancer Awareness and not just in September during Awareness Month, but any time. My son is 4 years old and has been battling brain cancer since he was 18 months old. He has had 4 brain surgeries, 5 rounds of chemo, a stem cell transplant, 6 weeks of radiation and countless blood and platelet transfusions. I am writing this now from the hospital - he was admitted last week because he has strep pneumoniae in his blood - most likely caused by his low blood counts and weakened immune system not being able to fight off the infection. As of today, he still has a tumor in his brain, but his platelet count is too low for any kind of treatment. His scans has been stable, so there is no new growth, but it isn't going away either. His next MRI is on October 20th. You can go to his CaringBridge site for more info - www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthewbarr. Thank you for considering this topic for your show.

Save our children from this killer disease. Help them. Give them a voice. They are our true heroes. Why, then are they not getting their worth for the battles they are fighting. Do we forget that we have kids too, or if not we were once kids too. Thimk how painful getting through a flu was for you as yr kid and yr family. Now imagine pain and worry multiplied over a million, billion times. That's pediatric cancer. Whar are we still waiting for? Whether voted as No. 1 or not, as a medical show its long over due that the No. 1 disease that kills children has to be shown, highlighted and awareness bought about. The children may not have a voice as yet, but they do have a right. It is up to you now to salute their bravery and give them their due. For all that they go through, this is the least we can do, bringing awareness to their situstion. To the Evil Monster called Cancer that wants to eat the little bodies of Children.

I am glad to see this at the top. I hope you let us all know when you chose which had the highest votes, and when you will have this on Doctors. September is past, which is National Childhood Awareness Month, our color is Gold. You didn't see stories or products bearing the gold ribbon. Yet these kids are fighting many different types of childhood cancer, and their voices go unheard. We hope you hear us, and will produce a show honoring all these kids and their plights. Thank you, Jennifer mom to Hollyn, my 3X cancer survivor at 9

You shouldn't be having trouble finding information on this topic. If the subject of children dying from cancer isn't enough.....what about the families that have had to take matters into their own hands after science and medicine have failed them. After our son was diagnosed with cancer, we have met so many families going through the same thing we are. There is one family we have come to know whose 3yr. old son has AML. www.jaymun.com They sent him home one year ago August, with no other options. It was only a matter of days/weeks and they expected to say goodbye to their son. His father was not going to settle for that. He is not a doctor, but in my eyes he should be. He researched into natural supplements and has kept their son alive for over another year. His knowledge of different herbs/natural drugs is amazing for never going to school for any of that. He slowed down with his supplements and this horrible disease has yet again taken over his little body, leaving the child unable to breath on his own and fighting again for his life. Even though I am sure they hate to admit it, the doctors agreed what he was doing was keeping the leukemia away. Unfortunately, doctors aren't willing/able, ...maybe too scared....whatever the reason is they will not work with the father and his supplements and they have asked him to stop the one thing that has kept their son alive for the last year, so they can use their drugs to try to keep him alive. I believe, as well as the family, that we need the science and the drugs. What I don't understand is why this country doesn't look more into the natural medications we have all around along with them. Our children, if they do survive, will have so many long term effects from the drugs. I just feel like there are better ways to treat our children out there. For some reason this country is turning their backs on what I feel could be better options for our children. The drug companies can experiment with different drugs they have come up with, why are they too afraid to experiment with natural supplements?!

Thank You! My daughter was diagnosed Black Friday 2008 at the age of 3 with Medulloblastoma, a brain tumor. It is crazy how much these children have to endure. More people need to realize that kids get cancer too. That very little funding goes to children's cancers yet 1 in 5 diagnosed will die. My daughter, Olivia is now 4 and is still in treatment fighting for her life. At 4 years old she is fighting for her life and doesn't know it. She should be playing and having fun. www.caringbridge.org/visit/oliviacalbazana

My son was diagnosis with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on July 17th, 2009. He is 6 years old. The type of cancer that he has is a rare cancer in children. Only 500 children get it a year. It is mostly found in Adults over the age of 40. September was Childhood Cancer awareness month, but hardly anyone knows it. I think we need to bring awareness to this so that we can find a cure for childhood cancer. Our children should not have to worry about something like this. They should be out playing. We have been in the hospital since July 17. He started Kindergarten here, this is where we spent his 6th birthday. I have lost my job due to this and our 3 year old son is now living with my husband's brother and his girlfriend since we have been at the Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls SD, and we live in Lakefield MN which is 90 miles on I-90 going east. We know that we will spend Thanksgiving here and possibly Christmas. He is just ending his second round of chemo, he is not in remission, and we have one more round to go. Then if he is in remission, we go directly up to the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital for another round of Chemotherapy and then a Bone Marrow Transplant, that hopefully will reduce his chances of relapse. He is considered High-risk because of a FLT3-ITD Gene that if he does not get a bone marrow transplant he will relaspe. To read his story and the long road we have ahead of us please check out our website at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hansendanny This is the hardest thing we have had to deal with. HE had no other symptoms except for bruising and petichia. The type of leukemia is a fast moving cancer, so there is a good chance that had we had him tested when we first noticed the bruising, all of the tests would have come back negative and we would of just thought that he was being a 5 year old boy and by the time we would have found it, it could have been to late. I want to work on getting the word out about Childhood Cancer. More needs to be done to educate the public and get information out to the Country. Cyndi Hansen http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hansendanny

Thank you!!! Finally, some awareness for our kids. My son is a cancer survivor, he was dx with osteosarcoma in September of 2007, at the age of 14. He has been very fortunate and is currently showing No Evidence of Disease but unfortunately so many are not so fortunate. No one ever imagines this could be their child, I know I didn't. Since dx, we have met and made some lifelong friends. So many have lost their battles at such a young age. NO child should ever have to endure this and no parent should ever have to watch their children suffer. I know the treatment for osteo has not changed in 15 years...WOW...unbelievable; but we can send a man into space. Our children are dying and the funds are NOT there. Millions of dollars and 3% goes to all childhood cancers. I could rattle off about 20 different cancers that no one even knows exist unless they've lived it. Did you know there are about 5 different types of leukemia-I didn't until my son started his battle. Hopefully your show will raise awareness and the Gold ribbons can be as prominent as the pink. Let's do this for our children, unfortunately, it could be your child. My son's story is at www.caringbridge.com/visit/dustinwarren

The last research I saw was that for every 6 research dollars every AIDS patient gets and for every 1 research dollar each breast cancer patients get, A child with Cancer gets only 30 cents. Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. 1 in 330 children will develop cancer by age 20. Cancer is the number one cause of non-accidental death in children! The mortality rate is 25% within 5 years of diagnosis. I will repeat... Cancer is the #1 disease killer of American's children! 12,600 children will be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. this year. 80% of children have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. September was Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month...the color of their ribbon is Gold....did you know that....... This needs to be known!!!!!! Their needs to be a fight like their is with breast cancer and with other diseases that are robbing people of their lives! These are poor children that are suffering! My friend and I have started a care package ministry for pc patients but we are only two.....More need to join the fight. Please help us get the word out!!

I think this is an awesome idea. My husband and I have childhood cancer on both sides of our family. We often wonder how would we know if our child had cancer. We do not want to be worry warts but we know what a silent killer cancer can be. We would love some more information!!!

If you need information about pediatric cancer please go here http://curechildhoodcancer.ning.com/ As a member of PAC2 and one of the many who requested you do a show on childhood cancer I can tell you I am very frustrated with waiting. There are 46 families that heard today that their child has cancer some of the kids won't make it others will live with lifetime side effects and others will relapse several times and receive chemotherapy until their bodies cannot tolerate it anymore. I am also one of the 46 mommas, please see our Team Captain's post below or go to 46mommas.com. We have waited since October and can wait no longer again thanks for your time and we are eager to hear from your show!