September 2024 is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

HAYLEY COOPER PHOTO. Clay County Commissioners Paul Sinders, Marty Heffner, and Bryan Allender proclaim September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Clay County.

The Clay County Board of Commissioners proclaimed September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month for Clay County, in its regular morning meeting Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Marty Heffner, Paul Sinders, and Bryan Allender have proclaimed September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Clay County for the past three years to raise awareness. Jessica Jackson, a local mother whose son is fighting cancer, has played an instrumental part in this cause.

The proclamation reads

WHEREAS, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children, and;

WHEREAS, 1 in 285 children in the United States will be diagnosed by their 20th birthday, and;

WHEREAS, 46 children per day or 16,790 children per year are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and;

WHEREAS, the average age of diagnosis is 6 years of age, and;

WHEREAS, 80% of childhood cancer patients are diagnosed late and with metastatic disease, and;

WHEREAS, on average, there has been a .06 percent increase in incidence per year since the mid 1970’s, resulting in an overall incidence increase of 24 percent over the last 40 years, and;

WHEREAS, two-thirds of childhood cancer patients will have chronic health conditions as a result of their treatment toxicity, with one quarter being classified as severe to life-threatening, and;

WHEREAS, hundreds of non-profit organizations at the local and national level, including the American Childhood Cancer Organization, are helping children with cancer and their families cope through educational, emotional, and financial support, and;

WHEREAS, researchers and healthcare professionals work diligently, dedicating their expertise to treat and cure children with cancer, and;

WHEREAS, too many children are affected by this deadly disease, and more must be done to raise awareness and find a cure.

Now therefore, Bryan Allender, Marty Heffner, and Paul Sinders, Clay County Commissioners, do hereby proclaim September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

We encourage all Americans to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and to support this cause that so deeply impacts families in every community across the United States.