Maybe the gold ribbon isn’t everywhere in September because most choose to look away. Perhaps it is too painful to imagine a child fighting cancer. I don’t blame them. But I didn’t have the choice to look away when my 7-month-old son was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. So for those of you who don’t know, or are afraid to ask, this is what happens when your child gets diagnosed with cancer.
Why Doesn’t Pediatric Cancer Get The Attention It Deserves?
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You probably didn’t even realize that because by mid-month, the world has already turned pink to commemorate October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Celebrities don’t wear the gold ribbon, which is the symbol of awareness for pediatric cancer. There are no beauty products at the department store with a gold ribbon — or packaged foods and fashion merchandise turned gold. Yet, more than 1,000 parents will hear the words “Your child has cancer” this month alone.