You can do something about childhood cancer. Raise awareness, make a difference.
Read the following list. Watch the clips. Look at the
pictures. Pick one – and do something.
1. Collect spare change. We believe that by collecting spare change, we can change the way a family views a diagnosis of childhood cancer or other life-altering illnesses. Collect and donate your spare change to our Hope Changes Things campaign. Learn more about it in the menu to the left.
2. Accessorize.Gold is “the color” for childhood
cancer awareness. (And each specific cancer has its own color as well. For
instance, leukemia is orange, lymphoma is green, etc.) Wear a gold ribbon (or
orange or green). When people ask, speak up. Make them aware of the reality of
childhood cancer.
3. Walk.Break the Grey has participated in
the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk for the past two years. You can make plans now to walk with us in upcoming walks. Click on "Light the Night" in the menu to the left to read about our team and sign up.
4. Run.If you are a little more ambitious
and competitive, there are several marathons that raise money for childhood
cancer. The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society partners with Nike and holds athletic
competitions all over the country to conquer cancer. Similarily, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN hosts an annual marathon.
5. Drink lemonade.If running isn’t really your thing,
you can always drink lemonade. Alex’s Lemonade Stand was started by Alex Scott,
a 4-year-old with a particularly deadly form of childhood cancer. While
undergoing treatment, she started a lemonade stand to raise money for “her
hospital,” specifically for children undergoing cancer treatment there. Sadly,
Alex passed away in 2004, but her lemonade stand continues. Each year,
thousands of lemonade stands are held across the nation, “curing childhood
cancer one cup at a time.” For more information visit www.alexslemonade.org
6. Eat.Every year, Chili’s launches their “Create a
Pepper” campaign to cure childhood cancer. You can donate to their campaign and
will be given a pepper to color that will be displayed in their restaurant. The
money raised in past years went to open the new Chili’s Care Center at St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital. Additionally, for one night each September, Chili's donates 100% of their profits to childhood cancer. This applies to carry out as well. Eat good food,
help kids with cancer. Win-win situation.
7. Shave your head.The stereotypical image of a child
with cancer is one without hair. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation decided to
utilize this image to the kids’ advantage. Now, every March, St. Baldrick’s
events are held nation-wide. During these events, people form teams and have
people sponsor them to shave their heads. St. Baldrick’s is one of the leading
fund-raisers for childhood cancer research. Not only does the money go to a
good cause, but it lets the kids know in a tangible way that we are supporting
them.
8. Get a haircut.If you’re not brave enough to
completely shave your head, just go for a haircut. Donate it to Locks of Love.
9. Donate blood.Most chemotherapy drugs completely
destroy kids’ bone marrow, leaving them dependent on blood and platelet
transfusions. Your gift really does keep them alive. And before you say, “I’m
scared of needles,” stop and think about the kids we’re
discussing. Think about everything that they endure on a daily basis. (If you
need a little help, go to YouTube and type in “childhood cancer.”) Don’t you
think you could endure one poke to save one child, especially considering the
horror they are living?
10. Watch
a movie... ...specifically “My
Sister’s Keeper.” It depicts
very well what the life of a family facing childhood cancer is like. Watch the
trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdZZLdjBfCI11. Pray.Pray for these kids. Pray for their
families. Pray for hope and joy and courage and peace and endurance and
perseverance and comfort. Pray for the message of the cross to meet them where
they are – and for the hope of Christ to come flooding in. More specific
requests can be found at the "Prayer" tab in the menu to the left.
12. Speak
up.If you won’t do any of the other
things in this list, then please just pass it on. Copy and paste it. Pass on
one of the links above. Talk about this. Write about it. Use your words. Use
your influence. Don’t avoid the elephant in the room any longer.
There is hope. There is rescue. Speak out. Raise awareness.
Do something. Keep fighting for the cure. And never, ever give up hope.