September: A month of many Cancer Awareness Campaigns

Did you know that at least seven different Cancers have awareness campaigns during the month of September? Depending on the organization or cancer awareness calendar you reference, you may find cancers listed in different months. The cancer ribbon awareness bookmarks we produce and have available for free recognize the following in September: Childhood Cancer, Leukemia, Liver, Lymphoma, Ovarian, Prostate and Uterine. Swing by our library at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center to pick up your free bookmark and a free ribbon pin to show your support for those who are or have been affected by these diseases. 

Often a particular cancer receives more attention than other cancers which are every bit as devastating and need greater awareness created. More often than not, the cancers you hear about effect a higher percentage of the population. They also often have community supporters who rally behind the disease to generate a buzz, creating greater awareness. Ovarian Cancer Together is one such group that is doing a number of activities to promote greater awareness of “the silent killer” this month. How can you miss the teal Cable Bridge!  

Childhood Cancer is one of the diseases you may not hear as much about. Sadly, it is a heart wrenching disease and is best treated by healthcare professionals who specialize in children’s oncology. Children’s treatment needs are very different from the treatment we administer to adults. It is a specialized field within oncology. We are sure all parents would agree they want only the best for their children. If your child is diagnosed with cancer you want to rely on a team of professionals, whose focus is children’s oncology, providing cutting edge treatments on a daily basis. Fortunately, the Tri-Cities community sees only a small number of childhood cancer cases annually. This is not to minimize the disease or incidence. Unfortunately, due to this the specialists who care for children are located in major metropolitan areas. Children’s Hospitals of Seattle and Spokane are experts in childhood cancer care. This is where we refer families who are faced with a childhood cancer diagnosis.

While we may not treat Childhood Cancer at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center, we do have resources for the children and their families facing this disease. We have financial assistance, educational materials and so much more. Please call our Nurse Navigation staff to find out more: (509) 737-3432.

Please check back into our blog next week as our Community Educator, Cindy Miller, RN, CBPN-IC, talks about signs and symptoms of childhood cancer and highlights some of the resources we have available.