September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge the thousands of children and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, raise awareness about the reality of childhood cancer, and emphasize the importance of research.
The Morgan Adams Foundation is proud to have partnered with Children’s Hospital Colorado and other renowned research institutions around the world for nearly 20 years to improve kids’ cancer treatments and outcomes through innovative and groundbreaking scientific research. During that time, the foundation has funded more than 160 pediatric cancer research projects totaling more than $5 million.
“One of the greatest obstacles we face is lack of awareness,” said Joan Slaughter, co-founder and executive director of The Morgan Adams Foundation. “Unless someone has been personally affected by a child’s experience with cancer, it is very difficult to understand the true reality — once a family hears their child has cancer, no one’s life will ever be the same.”
The Foundation is named for Slaughter’s daughter Morgan, who died 20 years ago at the age of six, 11 months after being diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor.
Five things to know about childhood cancer
- Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death in children
- In the U.S., 43 children receive a cancer diagnosis each day — nearly 16,000 per year. That’s 1 in 285 children.
- Of every eight children diagnosed with cancer, one will not survive.
- Only 4 percent of National Cancer Institute research funding goes to study pediatric cancer.
- One hospitalization for a pediatric cancer patient costs more than $40,000 on average.
Learn more and get involved
The Morgan Adams Foundation website has additional information, including personal stories of kids with cancer, additional facts about kids and cancer, and updates on current research. Go to www.morganadamsfoundation.org/gogold.
