Fight Childhood Cancer

                           Fight Childhood Cancer

   I  would   like  to  strongly   encourage   you  to  join  or renew   your   membership   to  Childhood   Leukemia   Association   today   if you  have   not  already   done   so.  Of  your   membership  dues   only  2% goes   to  administrative   expresses   and   the   remaining   98%  goes   to ensuring   the   fulfillment   of  our   goals:   to  aid  families   with   children   with leukemia   to  be  able   to  spend   more   time   with  their   child,  to  allow  them  to   be  able   to  afford   the   expense   to  travel   to  and   from   treatment, and   to offer   more   families   the   use   of  the   Megan   McDonald   House.  

Some   of  your  dues   goes   to  the   Megan   McDonald   houses   which  we  have   set  up  to  provide   not  only  a  comfortable   place   to  receive  treatment   but   most   importantly   to  allow   the   family  to  be  able   to  stay together   while   the   child   is  receiving   treatment.   We  are   raising   funds to  allow us   to  expand   upon   many  existing   Megan   McDonald   Houses   such   as the   local   house   here   in  Temple.   

All  the   money   we  raise   in  this fundraiser  will  go  directly   to  fulfilling   these   goals.   As  always   we are   working   in  conjunction   with   The  National   Marrow   Donor   Program  to   constantly   add   willing   and   able   life  savers   to  the   registry.   

The national   marrow   donor   program   helps   people   who  need   a  life-saving  marrow   or  blood   cell  transplant.   Marrow   or  blood   cell  transplants  benefit   more   than   35,000   children   and   adults   per   year.   

Patients  diagnosed   with   Leukemia,   Lymphomas,   and   other   blood   cancers   make  up  85%  of  transplants   facilitate   by  the   NMDP   in  the   United   States   per year   with   the   remaining   receiving   transplants   for  a  variety   of  immune  system   or  inherited   disorders.   34%   of  all  transplants   are   for  children  under   age   19.  Only  30%  of  patients   in  need   of  marrow   or  blood   cell transplants   find   a  match   in  their   family,  the   remaining   70%   must   rely on  a  match   being   found   from   volunteers,   people   such   as  me  and  hopefully   you,  who  take   the   time   to  register   with   NMDP   to  save   a  life. 

 I  wanted   to  be  sure   to  share   with   you  two  very  important   things  about   childhood   leukemia:   its  risk   factors   and   its  signs   and   symptoms. 

Risk   factors   for  childhood   leukemia   include:   having   a  sibling   that   had  or   has   leukemia,   being   Hispanic,   being   exposed   to  cigarette   smoke   or alcohol   BEFORE   or  AFTER  birth,   having   a  history   of  preleukemia   or aplastic   anemia,   having   had   past   treatment   of  chemotherapy   or radiation   therapy,   being   exposed   to  ionizing   radiation   or  certain  chemicals   such   as  benzene, and   having   certain   genetic   disorders.

  Signs   and   symptoms   of  childhood   leukemia   range   greatly   from   flu  like symptoms   to  shortness   of  breath,   frequent   infection,   reacquiring  headache,   pain   below   ribs,   petechiae, pinpoint   spots   under   the   skin caused   from   bleeding,   easy   bleeding,   easy   bruising,   and   swollen  lymph   nodes.  

 If  your   child  or  a  child  you  know   has   these   symptoms   I implore   you  to  take   them   to  the   doctor   as  soon   as  possible   because   if they   do  have   leukemia   the   sooner   it  is  diagnosed   and   treatment  begins   the   better   the   child’s  changes   to  survive. 

It   is  our   great   hope   today   that   you  will  not  only  help   use   meet  our   fundraiser   goal   to expand   upon   our  existing   houses   but   that   you will  aid   us  in  100%   membership   retention   rate, that   anyone   not currently   a  member   will  join  today, as  well  as  anyone who  is  willing and   able   will  join  the   National   Marrow   Donor   Program  registry   to  help   save   a  life.