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For Too Many Kids September Doesn’t Mean Back to School

posted on August 6, 2018
    Advocacy ● From The Heart ● News
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I can’t believe I’m writing about Childhood Cancer Awareness month again. I can’t believe this is the sixth Sept that Michael is gone. 

No Back to School for him or the thousands of other children who have lost their lives to cancer.
What a shame…how unjust

If you have children grumbling about going back to school, remind them there are plenty of children who would LOVE to be healthy enough to hop on a bus with their friends, learn new things, read great books, play at recess, eat a sack lunch and get to do it all again tomorrow!  What a privilege so many of us take for granted.

But since September is coming, I’m going to ask you to help Swifty and all the other pediatric cancer organizations raise awareness about this awful disease. Why? Because everyone assumes “somebody” is finding a cure for children dying from cancer! I always thought so. Who doesn’t want children to stop dying of cancer?

However the truth is, childhood cancer is woefully underfunded. Without funding, research can’t be done, drugs can’t be tested. Meanwhile children are dying every day waiting for “somebody” to fund this research so they can go back to school too!

Swifty will be posting ideas through September, but to get you started here are a few that will take a little planning:

1.      Ask your place of work to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by lighting up gold for the month (gold light bulbs outside, gold ribbon on the door/trees, gold decorations inside) or do the same at your home

2.      Wear gold/yellow every day in September and see if people notice and ask you about it

3.      Propose a challenge to your friends to find 30 people who will join you in finding 30 ways in 30 days to raise awareness for childhood cancer

4.   For kids: 30 Healthy Days Challenge – Do a healthy thing (exercise, eat veggies, eat gold/yellow healthy foods, etc.) every day in September on behalf of children with cancer

These are easy ones:

5.    Add a frame to your Facebook Profile Picture. When Swifty puts up our Sept awareness banner you will be able to find a Swifty Awareness Profile Frame.

6.    Share, like, retweet and respond to social media posts about childhood cancer – the more interaction on a post/tweet, the more likely it’ll be seen by others. 

7.    Follow Swifty on FB/Twitter/Instagram where we will be posting more awareness ideas in the coming weeks.

Join our Childhood Cancer Awareness Team.  Do you have an extra few minutes each week? We could use your help during September and leading up to it!  Please join our Awareness Team (short term commitment) and we will supply you with everything you need to help us make a difference during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You are free to participate to any degree you wish.  Join Here

In this way we aren’t just waiting for “somebody” to find a cure for pediatric cancer, we’re doing our small part.  Thank you on behalf of all the kids who won’t be getting on a school bus this September. 

Patti Gustafson
Patti Gustafson is Michael, Bridget and Ian's mom and has been fortunate to be married to Al for 28 years. She's been grateful to live most of her life in Naperville surrounded by her family and life-long friends. Her role at the Swifty Foundation is Chief Operating Officer.... which sounds impressive but really means she pitches in where she is needed!

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Michael Gustafson created the Swifty Foundation before his death at age 15 to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research so that: “No other child will have to go through what I did.”

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