Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Advocate. Support. Cure.

Every September, childhood cancer organizations around the world come together in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, with a goal to increase awareness and raise funds for those affected by childhood cancer. According to CureSearch, each year more than 15,000 children in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with cancer. And for those who survive, as many as 85% will develop one or more chronic health conditions including secondary cancers, severe musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular disease as a result of treatment. 

In recognition of #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth America's Charities is celebrating the following agents of change who we are proud to call our members. These nonprofits are dedicated to funding research to find treatments and cures for children's cancer, as well as providing programs that provide hope, joy, housing, and other types of support and resources for families with children facing cancer.

One of the most cost-efficient ways you can support these nonprofits is to donate to them via payroll deduction through your employer's workplace giving program (Don't have a program? Click here to have your employer contact our team.) Click on each charity's name below to learn more about their work, and to make a donation now!

CureSearch: There is an urgent unmet need for new and better children’s cancer treatments. With your support, CureSearch funds the most promising and impactful research. They do this through comprehensive project screening and monitoring progress to ensure patient centered results. Click here to learn more about CureSearch and hear why research matters for CureSearch advocates and patient families.

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®): RMHC creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through its global network of Chapters in more than 64 countries and regions, RMHC programs (the Ronald McDonald House®, the Ronald McDonald Family Room® and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®) provide access to quality health care and enable family-centered care around the world, ensuring families are fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care. Click here to learn more.

GKTW:  The most magical sound in the world is that of a child's laughter. That is what fills the air at Give Kids The World Village - a wish-fulfilling, fanciful, carefree retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses, and their families. Give Kids The World Village is a 79-acre, nonprofit "storybook" resort located near Central Florida's most beloved attractions.  Here, children and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations, complete with accommodations in the Village's whimsical villas, transportation, donated attraction tickets, meals, and much more. At the Village, these precious children learn that dreams really do come true, as they and their families are immersed in joy, hope, and non-stop fun for a few unforgettably happy days. Click here to learn more. 

The Children's Inn at NIH: The Children's Inn at NIH is a “place like home” for children, and their families, participating in ground-breaking medical trials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each year, more than 1,700 children call The Inn “home” as they battle life-threatening illnesses in NIH trials that change the face of medicine for the entire world. The Children’s Inn brings together courageous children who participate in NIH trials; their loving families and caregivers who provide unwavering support; and the world-renowned NIH clinicians and staff who make ground-breaking medical discoveries. These are the individuals driving discoveries that will be the first steps to eradicating diseases and making better lives possible. The Children’s Inn is where we bring people together to make childhood possible today and a cure possible tomorrow. Click here to learn more.

Believe In Tomorrow National Children's Foundation: Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation provides exceptional hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. Since 1986, Believe In Tomorrow has provided over 800,000 overnight accommodations to families from every state in the U.S. and more than 82 countries worldwide. Click here to learn more.

Children's House at Johns Hopkins Hospital: The Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins is the cornerstone of Believe In Tomorrow’s hospital housing program, providing overnight accommodations to families of children receiving treatment at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, MD. The mission of The Children's House at Johns Hopkins Hospital is to provide a family-centered supportive residence for critically-ill children receiving treatment at the world renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital.  We believe in keeping families together in the midst of medical crisis, to reduce stress and to promote self-help and mutual support.  We believe that the highest standards of service and unparalleled hospitality help to create a unique healing environment, where families find hope and comfort. Click here to learn more.

LIVESTRONG: Cancer doesn’t only affect the person with cancer; it affects the lives of the people who surround them as well. LIVESTRONG provides resources and emotional support to help caregivers with their child's cancer - from diagnosis to treatment to life as a cancer survivor. Click here to learn more.

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America: Wishes can change the odds for children fighting their illness. A wish helps kids look past their limitations, families overcome anxiety and entire communities experience joy. Most importantly, wishes can improve a child’s quality of life. Make-A-Wish wants to help every single family enduring this struggle to discover hope, strength and joy. Click here to learn more. 

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic: Make-A-Wish® Mid-Atlantic grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions who reside in Maryland, Washington, DC, northern Virginia and central and southern Delaware.  Since the chapter’s foundation in 1983, they have given the gift of a wish to over 8,700 local children fighting life-threatening medical conditions such as cancer. Click here to learn more.