When I hear 90% cure rate for childhood cancers I want to scream or possibly throw up! That stat is SO misleading. That stat is talking about surviving 5 years. Living with cancer for five years IS NOT CURING cancer! Especially if you are 6 years old when you are diagnosed. This steers research dollars away from the number one cause of death by disease in children living in the U.S. Why invest more money in it, when it sounds like we’ve got the job done? We have to get the word out how misleading so many stats are and how damaging to our cause.
Utilitarianism is doing the greatest good for the greatest number. The federal government and pharma should use that philosophy when doling out research dollars. Think of the life years saved when you save a 7 year old from dying from cancer, as compared to a 65 year old prostate cancer patient. With each child saved you gain on average 67 life years, with an elderly patient 5-6 years. Not to mention a child hasn’t had a chance to experience life, or contribute in the way they were meant to in their lifetime. We may save another Einstein, Madame Curie or Rosa Parks…. but not until cancer research dollars are redistributed. Currently only 4 pennies of every available federal cancer research dollar is used for pediatric cancer research. A gross injustice.
Think of the child you love most in the world. Now think of hearing the words that he/she has cancer. Your world is destroyed in an instant. Until that moment happens, you believe that “someone” is funding pediatric cancer research. “Someone” is working on a cure for kids. Because OF COURSE, “someone” is saving our beautiful children from this devastating disease. But when your child is diagnosed you find out that’s not really the case. 96% of federal cancer research dollars are used to fund adult cancer research, and children don’t get lung, prostate or breast cancer. Children’s cancers are not the same as adult cancer and new treatments are rare, only 3 new pediatric cancer drugs have been developed in the last 30 years. “Someone” is NOT doing enough to cure pediatric cancer. And children continue to suffer.
That is why Swifty is so proud to be a part of the great momentum of collaboration that is sweeping the childhood cancer space. Organizations like the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium provide universally accessible bio-banked tissue samples and data to researchers. Researchers are sharing data to reduce duplication of efforts instead of competing for much-needed research dollars. Philanthropic minded businesses like Dell are donating their computers to help with genome sequencing and drug testing. Family foundations are joining forces to have a bigger voice when advocating in DC for legislation to help children with cancer.
You’ve seen Swifty’s tag-line, “Together Toward Hope”…. turns out “someone” isn’t saving children from cancer, but a whole bunch of committed, tenacious, resourceful organizations are banding together to give children with cancer a better chance.
