London, ON Sept, 2011 – Over 10,000 children in Canada are presently receiving cancer care across this country. 4,000 of them are in Ontario and 1,700 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year in Canada and 400 new cases will be diagnosed in Ontario. 2 out of 10 children will not survive their diagnosis.
Monday September 12, 2011 - 6:30 p.m. – City Hall, Dufferin Ave. London
Hundreds of childhood cancer warriors, survivors and bereaved families whose children have not survived childhood cancer will converge on City Hall to watch gold lights being turned on at 7:00 p.m. marking September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Mayor Fontana will address the kids, families, health care staff and the community at large at approximately 6:45 p.m. prior to the lights going on. Just after the lights go on Mayor Fontana will help tie a couple of gold ribbons around trees surrounding City Hall which will be displayed for the remainder of the month in the block surrounding City Hall to show London’s caring spirit. City Hall has approved the flying of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Flag on the Community Flag Pole at Reg Cooper square the week of September 12th -19th which will be visible at tonight’s turning on the lights!
Monday August 29, 2011
In early August Mayor Fontana met with current childhood cancer survivor Leah Bartholomew and three time brain tumour survivor Stephanie Simmons, who started her own campaign of awareness the goldribboncapmaign.org and Stephanie’s sister Pie (pictured here) and community based charity Childcan to discuss how the Mayor and City Council and Londoner’s could help to raise awareness in September in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
“Mayor Fontana and the London City Council approved at the August 29th London City Council meeting that they would like to offer their support and recognition for Childcan and the Gold Ribbon Campaign aimed at making not only Londoner’s but Canadians aware of the thousands of children who are diagnosed with Childhood Cancer each year.”
Mayor Fontana, London City Council and staff have been working with Childcan and the Gold Ribbon Campaign to give the kids a voice.
Mayor Fontana said, “The lighting of these lights symbolizes our community’s support and recognition of Childcan and the Gold Ribbon Campaign. It is important we help increase awareness of the impact cancer has on the thousands of children who are diagnosed each year and the effect it has on their lives and their families. The Gold Ribbon Campaign is asking individuals, organizations and municipalities to spread the word and with children providing the leadership for this action we, as a caring community, must follow.”
“A diagnosis of cancer in a child is shocking and quite devastating. It truly takes a community to help a child and family face childhood cancer. The Childhood Cancer Journey is long and filled with many peaks and valleys” Most children will be on treatment that longer than most adults being treated for cancer.” “Even when children survive they can experience long-term side effects of the treatments from childhood cancer that can affect these children's futures,” said Marianne Hebb, Executive Director, Childcan.
Childcan, The Childhood Cancer Research Association Inc.
Registered Charitable (BN#) 11885 1930 RR0001
Since 1974, Childcan a London based community charity who has been supporting children and families living with childhood cancer from across Southwestern, Ontario and receive their diagnosis at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre.
Childcan raises funds to provide responsive and compassionate support services to families facing the journey through childhood cancer – from diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or bereavement. Childcan receives no government, United Way, or Canadian Cancer Society funding and relies solely on the generosity of individual, corporate and community donors, foundations, and annual fundraising events held in support of Childcan to provide the support services to children and their families living with childhood cancer. The dollars donated each year ensure that Childcan will be there when families need us the most.
Monday August 29, 2011