Written by Caroline, Teen Ambassador
Welcome to the PAB’S PACKS blog! We are delighted to bring you monthly posts to engage you in PAB’S work as well as to inform you about upcoming events and significant developments in the community of childhood chronic illness.
September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, 1 in 285 kids will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday.
Meet Ryder. He received a PAB’S PACK in 2016 and was inspired to start his own project called Ryder’s Smile Packages. Learn more about him at @rallyingforrydergetchis
Only 4% of federal government cancer research funding currently goes to pediatric cancer research. The National Cancer Institute received nearly 6 billion dollars in 2018 for cancer research, meaning that just a little more then two hundred million dollars will be devoted to pediatric cancer research.
Our co-founder, Pia Phillips, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Stage IIA, when she was 14. Thanks to the wonderful care she received from Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota, Pia is now cancer-free!
But many kids are not as fortunate, or able to receive the care and comfort they need. Since 1980, less than 10 drugs have been developed and approved for use in children. With such limited resources aiding the treatment of kids, it is no surprise that cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease in children and teens.
In the face of these disheartening statistics, PAB’S PACKS was founded to bring comfort and encouragement to teenagers with chronic diagnoses. Because a pediatric cancer or other chronic diagnosis can feel scary, hopeless and disorienting, PAB’S PACKS exists to let teens and their families know they are not alone and someone has their back!
Abbie (left) and Pia (right) visiting a patient at Children’s Minnesota this past summer.
As stated by Curesearch Organization for Children’s Cancer, 43 children and teens are diagnosed with pediatric cancer every day. Only research can eliminate this number, but the power of connection and community can has shown to inspire hope and support overall healing.
As Pia and Abbie often say, “we are not mad scientists that can cure cancer, but we do know what it is like to feel alone and in need of support.” That’s why we created PAB’S PACKS—we got your back!
Love,
The PAB’S team
