Charities
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| www.CrazyCancerMom.com |
| www.CrazyCancerMom.com |
| The entire purpose of this website and my campaign is to raise funds and awareness. So, just what am I interested in raising funds for? The answer is not quite as simple as you might think. At first, my goal was purely to raise money for research. At heart, I believe it still is. However, the question of research dollars is not as cut and dry as I would wish. Part of raising research money is raising awareness. If people don't know why money is necessary, then they don't know why its important to give. While I may be on a personal campaign to "get the word out", I am, after all, only one overweight, over-eager, overly deluded mom. I'm going to do my level best to make sure I make a nuisance of myself, but I still won't reach a smidgen of the people I need to. To affect real change, I need to reach millions of hearts, and those hearts need to band together to form an ocean of hope. There is also the small matter of my own family. My cancer child continues to require significant medical interventions, my infant son is a powerhouse of "Need", and my other two children have oodles of time and attention debts owed them due to events beyond their control. With these limitations in mind, I gladly hand the responsibility of collecting money, organizing political coos, and administrating research dollars over to the experts. Below you will find links and short explanations of several pediatric cancer charities. This should get you started. These are the creme of the crop as far as productivity and advocacy for our children. I choose to not recommend one over the other for one simple fact...I'm not you. It is my belief that within each of us, there is a hidden angel. We have to embrace that part of ourselves to become fully aware of our humanity. One of the best ways of doing so, is to find a cause you believe in, hold it close to your heart, and work for it with the commitment and fervor we afford much lesser tasks. I cannot choose your heart-wish for you. I can introduce you to My Kids, I can help you walk a few steps in our shoes, I can welcome you to my struggle, and finally...I can open a few doors for you to investigate. Which door you choose to walk through and dwell within, is your choice alone. Maybe you feel you can help better by joining a smaller, local charity that feeds into a larger national one? Maybe, you think research is too impersonal and you want to donate to a "relief" group that provides respite for cancer families? Or maybe, your heart already belongs to another cause, and you can only briefly light here and wish us well. Only you can find the magic key to open your heart. All I am doing is asking you to consider even looking for the key. For me, research dollars scream for my attention. Don't get me wrong, we partake in several activities for pediatric cancer families, and are grateful for the sanity breaks they allow us. Special people all over this country reach out every day to improve the lives of children undergoing torturous treatments that most adults cannot imagine. I applaud them, I support them, I adore them. But here, I will highlight research and awareness organizations. They are the music that makes my own heart dance. Please check out their websites, their statistics, their missions. If you find one that speaks to you, you're ready to embrace the final step in my Fat-A-Thon! - Alicia Hall |
| How to choose your charity for the Fat-A-Thon |
| One child lost is too many, One child saved... Can change the World. Alicia Hall |
| Avalon Havan, my daughter, my hero |
| Click on the name above - it will take you to their website CureSearch unites the Children's Oncology Group (COG) and the National Childhood Cancer Foundation (NCCF) through a shared mission to cure and prevent childhood and adolescent cancer through scientific discovery and compassionate care. At more than 200 COG member institutions worldwide, our dedicated physicians, nurses and scientists are conducting clinical trials and performing research to identify cancer causes and pioneer treatments and cures. CureSearch NCCF supports this lifesaving research by raising public awareness and funds through awareness, legislative and fundraising programs, which directly contribute to increasing survival rates. CureSearch is the exclusive fundraising arm for the COG. COG hospitals work collaboratively. Research is shared with all hospitals within the COG. Therefore when donating to CureSearch; you are not only helping kids in your hometown, you are helping thousands of others across the country. Research, Advocacy, Information Disbursement |
| Click on the name above - it will take you to their website Candlelighters' mission is to provide information and awareness for children and adolescents with cancer and their families, to advocate for their needs, and to support research so every child survives and leads a long and healthy life. The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation National Office was founded in 1970 by concerned parents of children with cancer. Today, their membership includes: Parents of children who are being treated or have been treated for cancer Children with cancer Survivors of childhood cancer Immediate or extended family members Bereaved families Health care professionals Educators Advocacy, Information Disbursement |
| Click on the name above - it will take you to their website Hope Street Kids is a children's initiative of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation. The mission of Hope Street Kids is to eliminate childhood cancer through pioneering research, advocacy and education. Hope Street Kids envisions a world without childhood cancer. To achieve this goal, Hope Street Kids sustains both public and private research efforts through fundraising initiatives, and provides leadership in advocating new and innovative research investigations. Hope Street Kids is dedicated to translating the latest scientific breakthroughs into effective treatment and prevention strategies to improve the quality of life for all children. Research is primary, Advocacy, Information Disbursement |
| Why don't I see St. Jude's? Don't they treat all cancer kids? I saw their fancy commercial and sent money last Christmas. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has an amazing public relations department. Their hospital name has become synonymous in public opinion with the words Pediatric Cancer. While St. Jude does accomplish great things, the fact is that St. Jude is an entity unto itself. St. Jude is affiliated with the hundreds of hospitals that CureSearch and the Children's Oncology Group work with, but the money they raise through their campaigns (such as the Christmas commercial) stays at St. Jude's - they do not share it with the other COG institutions. I do not disagree or diminish that St. Jude is often responsible for cutting edge research. But ultimately, I choose to support the organizations that service over 200 hospitals worldwide. My daughter is treated at a COG (Children's Oncology Group) hospital and I appreciate the cooperation and support these institutions offer each other. But please, don't take my word on it. Below you will find two links from the Candlelighters website. Candlelighters is non-biased - they just provide information. They have no affiliation with any particular entities. I have provided the links so you can verify what I have cut-and-pasted below. _____________________________________________________________ St. Jude Children's Research Hospital St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is known around the world for the treatment of pediatric cancers. They offer clinical studies for most pediatric cancers, and they lead the world in cure rates for ALL Leukemia. All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay. Visit their web site for more information. Candlelighter link for this information: __________________________________________ COG Treatment Centers The childhood cancer research and treatment centers of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) are located at the most prestigious medical institutions in the world. The 5,000 or more pediatric oncology specialists of COG conduct collaborative research, working efficiently and cost-effectively as they share their goals and results. Because of these cooperative methods, children with cancer are assured of state-of-the-art care, no matter where they live, as long as they are cared for by members of the COG network. Candlelighter link for this information: |