- 1 in 330 children are diagnosed with cancer by the time they are 20 years old (alexslemonade.org)
- childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the US (alexslemonade.org)
- EACH day 46 children are diagnosed with some type of cancer (kidsofchildhoodcancer.org)
I never new what these numbers meant until 3 years ago when my son became a statistic. He's been poked and prodded, looked at and examined my doctors, had more spinal taps than I can count at the moment, he's been put under sedation over 30 times in 3 years. Still he smiles and still he LIVES.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. This is a cause that is so very dear to my heart. Braxton is a SURVIVOR and above all, that matters the most. I have seen him literally on the brink of death, at a point when he could have gone into cardiac arrest... still he smiled. I've seen him so very sick with a temp of 105 literally having to be iced down, but still he smiled and begged to play.
I am happy to say that today Braxton is 8 months into remission and there is NO sign of disease in his body. He BEAT the monster. BUT there is no cure, so he will never be able to say he's cured... only treated with no evidence. Braxton is only one of many many many fighters under the age of 20 that are battling different monsters everyday. Some of them will not win. Some of them will. Either way it's not fair.
There needs to be a cure. That's why funding is essential and sadly our government doesn't see it extremely necessary to provide funding that's why it's left up to mothers like me to raise a few nickels and dimes to throw into the pot.
These kids fight like there is no tomorrow. They fight because they want to play just like all the other kids. They fight because they want to live above everything else.
If ever you want to know a glimmer of what we go through as moms of cancer kids. Go sit on an oncology floor, just sit in the waiting room and watch all the bald, smiling faces, "pole surfing" past you and that should make you want to give a $1 the next time the opportunity arrives.
Donate because it could be your kid but it's not and then thank God the entire time you are digging through your wallet. Thank God as you place the dollar in the bowl and thank God that his mercy and grace is new everyday.
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| 6 months into treatment 2 1/2 years of treatment to go (2010) |
Tomorrow we are going to be hosting our very first Alex's Lemonade Stand. Braxton has a small goal of $200 and we are hoping to hit that mark. I am praying that we can see the compassion of our community and surpass our goal beyond our wildest dreams.
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| The day he had his port removed (May 2013) |
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| Happy Healthy 5 year old |
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| 6 years old on his first day of kindergarten 2013 |
