• Every day, 46 children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. Every day, 7 families will say goodbye to their child for the last time.
• Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children - more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
• Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
• The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
• Despite these facts, childhood cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded. The American Cancer Society spends less than 3% of its funding on research for all types of childhood cancer combined.
Twice while Jacob was going through treatment, a local foundation held a "gift day" for the kids on the hematology/oncology floor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. One of the gifts he picked was a coloring set with paper, and he spent part of his Day Hospital coloring pictures.
Each time after that, whenever Jacob would get off the elevators, he'd immdiately run around the corner to see if they were there. Some days the hope of getting a new gift was the only thing that got him to the hospital.
In hopes of bringing that kind of joy to other children battling cancer, we will be holding "Jacob Gift Days" at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the upcoming future.
Please check back for ways you can help bring a smile to a child with cancer.
Imagine being told, "Your child has cancer, and there is nothing we can do". Each year, 200 families across the US are given this news. Diffuse Intrinic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a cancer of the brain stem, and there are currently no known cures. The only treatment that has been found effective is radiation, and the effects are short lived. Most tumors will start to grow again in about six months. Less than 10% of children will live a year past diagnosis.
This is why funding for research is so important. The Team Jacob Foundation supports The Cure Starts Now in their efforts to find a cure for pediatric brain cancer. Many medical professionals believe a cure for pediatric brain cancer will open the door to a cure for ALL cancers (in both children and adults).
Please help us a support our mission. You can make a donation in Jacob's memory on The Cure Starts Now site by clicking on Jacob's picture to the right.
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." ~ Dale Carnegie
