This September, Zerion Challenges You to Cannonball Kids’ cancer

​I remember a time when wearing the various colors for different causes was a something I could choose to support without much thought. When football players donned pink during October to heighten awareness about breast cancer, or when people wore purple in support of those battling pancreatic cancer. I remember receiving the emails from friends and colleagues who had some sort of personal connection to a cause and clicking ‘donate’ from time to time to show my tacit support. I also remember the moment when ‘going gold for pediatric cancer awareness’ became an extremely personal cause.
 
For anyone who knows me personally, you know that my 3-year-old son Nolan passed away from complications related to hepatoblastoma in 2017. He and I had an extremely close and significant connection; if even for three years. He had the most exuberant personality and the best, most contagious smile. And after his passing, my family and I vowed to make his cut-all-too-short life matter for decades and decades to come.
 

• Our situation is not all that unique. Sadly, a family hears the devastating words that their child has been diagnosed with cancer every 3 minutes.
• Every year in the United States, an estimated 15,780 children aged 0-19 are diagnosed with cancer.
• Approximately 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday.
• Twenty percent of children with cancer in the U.S. will not survive it.
• Childhood cancer research receives only 4% of the annual budget from the National Cancer Institute.

 
While today we count our blessings for having been introduced to Cannonball Kids’ cancer (CKc), I still sometimes wish we didn’t have to know so much about this organization’s mission because our story became so intertwined with theirs.
 
I share our family’s story to make others aware that childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 19 in the U.S. That is just not okay.
 
This September – Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month – many of us are still adjusting to a ‘new normal’ that is anything but normal. We have had to shift priorities, and many of us are still spending plenty of time at home or taking extra measures to remain safe.
 
While you’re doing these things, I’d also ask that you consider supporting CKc through Zerion’s cannonball fundraising efforts, or to donate to another pediatric cancer cause that is near and dear to your heart. It could be a donation of time, talent, or treasure. No amount is too small to help the children and the families dealing with the heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis or to help fund life-saving research. This September, if for no one else, I encourage you to Go Gold for Nolan King.  

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Click Here to Help Zerion Support CKc in the Cannonball Challenge!