In the eight years since our son Cannon was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, I’ve witnessed the brutality of pediatric cancer, its treatments and its outcomes. It’s the reason I say pediatric cancer is either a life sentence or a death sentence and nowhere in between.
More than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a significant health-related issue by the time they are 45 years of age as a result of treatment. Other parents are told their child will not survive because there are no more options to save her life. Each day, five sets of parents in the United States wake up, get dressed, and drive to their child’s funeral. I have been to more funerals for children than I have for adults. This is not fair, it’s not right, and we can do better.
My husband and I founded Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation so that children wouldn’t have to suffer the brutal impacts of current cancer treatments like Cannon did. We want to create treatment options for children fighting cancer - options that produce both survivors AND quality of life… not one or the other.
Together, CKc and our donors have awarded $2.4 million in research grants and created 593 treatment options for children. We are just getting started.
2020 has proven to be a difficult year for so many, it not only has turned the world upside down, it has dramatically changed the landscape of the work we do. We are no longer able to hold our signature fundraising event The Gold Gala. However, pediatric cancer does not have a pause button. One child in the world is being diagnosed with cancer every minute. We have innovative research projects ready to be funded – but we need your help to do it!
We are going virtual as a part of this year’s reimagined Gold Gala! YOU can save a child’s life! Donate here and help us create innovative treatment options for kids with cancer and educate for change! AND, our AMAZEBALLS friends, Picton and Carla Warlow, will match up to $25,000 to help us reach our goal of $50,000...even more reason to give generously!!! Thank you!