Too young for cancer

By Graeme McNaughton/The Oshawa Express

When we think about cancer, we often think about those that are already adults, having plenty of life experiences and memories behind them. However, sometimes there are those that get cancer at a young age.

My cousin was one of them, developing ovarian cancer when she was only 14. I still remember when we found out. I was around 16 or so at the time, and just getting into my groove as a teenager, and I remember thinking how unfair it was that Angela had developed such a serious condition at such a young age. It was terribly unfair that at that age, she already had to fight for her life.

Angela, like so many other kids, did not win that fight.

According to Childhood Cancer UK, approximately 175,000 children around the world are diagnosed with a form of cancer each year. From that, 96,000 will die. Now, while the number of deaths is significantly higher in developing countries – a mortality rate of 20 per cent versus 80 to 90 per cent – that number is still too high, especially when you take into account that it’s children fighting for their lives.

The most common form of childhood cancers are leukemia, brain tumors and lyphomas. And the most disheartening thing is that – with the exception of the five to 15 per cent of cases that identify genetic conditions, and another five to 10 per cent that cite environmental factors such as prenatal smoke and X-rays – the cause of many cases of childhood cancers is still unknown, likely boiling down to a number of risk factors.

And considering childhood cancer is the second leading cause of death among those aged 1 to 14 in the US, more research is definitely needed.

Thankfully, there are many charities and research institutions that deal with this important matter, such as Childhood Cancer Canada. Through donations, the organization has sent millions of dollars toward research efforts, as well as providing scholarships for young cancer survivors and distributing emPower packs, which provide valuable information to families on what to expect and the different resources that are out there.

For more information or to make a donation, go to childhoodcancer.ca.