September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Today is the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I feel like I have been posting so much about it on Facebook, but am not sure what it means to most people. I can tell you what it meant to me last year. The start of September meant the start of a new school year for the boys and for me. It meant the start of numerous Fantasy Football drafts for Billy and the beginning of my favorite season. I read a little about childhood cancer and donated to St. Jude’s. I thought about childhood cancer as a tragic and horrific thing that happened to other people. Never in my worst nightmare did I think it would touch my family.

Since last September so much has changed for us. I have met countless heroic children battling this disease with a grace, dignity, and courage that is unmatched. I have met their siblings who have grown up far too soon and seen far too much pain and suffering within their families. Childhood Cancer has a whole new meaning to me now!

Today, Childhood Cancer means to me living in fear every day that Mac will get a fever or worse. It means that Liam worries every day that his brother is going to die. It means that we cannot plan a family vacation for next year or even next week because our life is a constant unknown. I am now a full time caregiver for Mac instead of a teacher. There is a constant feeling of stress in our house because we are always watching the clock making sure his meds are given at the right time and his g-tube feeds are started. We have all given up the ability to go anywhere without timing it with the meds and feeds. Mac has lost his childhood. Liam has lost the brother he once knew. We have all sacrificed the life we once took for granted for this one in the world of Childhood Cancer. Our lives and family has been torn apart. We continue to pray and hope that one day we will be able to put it back together but we will never be the same.

This September please take the time to think about the lack of funding for research and resources for these amazing children. If there is one thing I am sure of it is that Mac deserves better, Liam deserves better and all children deserve better. They deserve a chance at life.