HELP FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER IN YOUR COMMUNITYTHE FACTS IN NORTH AMERICA ALONE
• Cancer is the No. 1 disease killing children today. It kills more children than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and AIDS….combined. Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region. • The incidence of cancer in children is 15 times greater than that of AIDS. • One in every 330 U.S. citizens develops cancer before the age of 20. • Each year in North America, more than 12,000 children and teenagers will be diagnosed with cancer. NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS • Up to 75% of childhood cancer can now be cured. • Childhood leukemia now has an 80% survival rate. • The cancer death rate has dropped more dramatically for children than for any other age group • More than 400,000 patient-years of life are being saved each year using newly developed treatments for children with cancer. WE CAN RID THE WORLD OF THIS DISEASE! "PROVIDING THE CARE -- FINDING THE CURE"In December 2001, the Optimist International Board of Directors established the CCC as the organization's primary focus program for five years. In 2005, the Board of Directors extended the primary focus of the Childhood Cancer Campaign for an additional five years. The CCC program model is built to accentuate four areas of service on which members can focus:
HOW CAN YOU LEARN MORE?Simple ... just fill out our online contact form and we will contact you to see how we can help. Clubs have the freedom to raise funds and run activities to support fighting childhood cancer in their local communities. Monies can be donated to a children's hospital or to family support groups, or a needy family.
Clubs can also run activities to directly assist families who are engaged in the fight for a family member. If you have local expertise who would like to help us develop additional materials or provide training or ideas about running successful Childhood Cancer Campaign activities or fund raisers, or you would like to volunteer to help us out ... we would really like to speak with you. |
"A Lifetime of Firsts"One of the proudest days in my childhood was the birthday I learned how to ride my first two wheeled bike.
I remember the pretty yellow dress my mom had sewn for me fluttering behind me as I rode like the wind on that red two wheeled Cadillac. My dad ran behind me balancing my precarious perch. Suddenly he let go and I was off, thrilled to pieces and proud as punch. I was free and fast as the wind. I was riding a two-wheel bike for the first time and it was the most important moment in my world. I was 6. First steps, first words, first fall, first bike, first friend, first skinned knee, first day of school…the list is endless, but each of these moments are too precious not to fight for. Carol |