Cancer sucks, no matter how you slice it, and no matter who has it. Cancer sucks beyond reason when a child has it.
Sold already? Don’t need the pitch? Donate here.
Still reading? I can tell that you’re a discerning, analytical individual. Please read on.
September is Child Cancer Awareness Month.
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 14, and is second behind accidents for all causes of death. One in five children who are diagnosed with cancer today will not survive. If you’re keeping score, that’s 20%.
Now, I’m happy to debate the effectiveness of the primarily for-profit healthcare system in the United States with you (it sucks), but it feels like this really isn’t the time or place. Not when an estimated 89% of the funds necessary to sustain and grow St. Jude need to be raised each year by donation.
So here’s the thing about St. Jude: they provide free care when children are sick. You’ve heard the commercials on TV, right?
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
I haven’t had kids. My in-house immediate family and sole dependents are two terrible cats. They’re like the furry manifestation of the raptors from Jurassic Park. They travel in a pack looking for things to bite, eat, or destroy with their claws.
Because of this, I can’t claim to imagine the pain and fear that families must feel when they are handed a cancer diagnosis for a child. Whether I can imagine it or not, I know that it’s awful.
So listen: I’m a bit of a nerd. It turns out that I listen to podcasts targeted, well… towards people who are a bit of a nerd. It just so happens that a co-founder of that podcast network has seen the work of St. Jude up close, and now makes an annual effort to help.
Remember the part above where I I mentioned that 89% of funding for the research hospital (who has earned a “Give With Confidence” rating by charitynavigator.org, by the way) that doesn’t charge for treatment, travel, housing, or food has to come from donations? Well, that’s where you and I come in.
Not everyone can afford to give, and that’s okay. Between you and I, nobody knows that you were here in the first place. If, however, you can afford $1.00, then give $1.00. If you can afford more, then give more.
I’ll even sweeten the offer. I’ve thought a lot about it, and for any single $25.00 donation, one of these terrible animals will receive a treat. For any donation between $25.01 and $29.99, I’ll make sure that the treat provided is the current favorite flavor. But I’ve gotta say, I think the other aforementioned terrible animal will be sad that they couldn’t partake. For donations that are $30.00 or more, both of them get the favorite treat.
Regardless, you have my personal thanks (and heartfelt thanks of a family in need) if you can help.