For the past couple of weeks, the News Bulletin's Facebook page has been flooded with posts about childhood cancer.
"Flooded" is no exaggeration. I counted 23 posts — many identical — on our wall.
At first glance, they look like spam. But a community newspaper sees such messages, posted by a local woman, as passionate pleas for attention.
Guess what, Pam Callahan? You got it.
We "think pink" during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, but did you know that we first observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September?
The News Bulletin has reported numerous childhood cancer stories, but it doesn't hurt to raise the issue one more time.
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization's website:
•15,780 U.S. children under age 21 annually are diagnosed with cancer.
•Approximately 1/4 of them will die.
I've learned much more about cancer since serving as Relay For Life Crestview's publicity chairperson, and have witnessed cancer's effect on parents and their children. (And, thankfully, I witnessed the recovery of those children. More on that in the video below.)
But I didn't know those statistics.
So, what can be done about this? Well, knowledge is power, and the Childhood Cancer organization purportedly is the "largest provider of childhood cancer books in the country," its website states.
Parents of children with cancer can order 10 free books about the issue.
Otherwise, check out acco.org for more information on this issue.
What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (VIDEO)