08/05/2026
Break the myth! Leukemia is NOT the GOOD Cancer.
1. First, there is no such thing as a "good cancer. While the five-year survival rate for childhood leukemia is about 90% overall, driven by high success rates in treating Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), there are other factors to consider.
2. A 90% Five Year Survival Rate merely means that a 6 year old diagnosed with ALL and treated with standard protocols will live to age 11, period. Due to the often toxic treatments given for blood cancers, there is a high probability of late term effects that could affect long term health or even cause a shortened life span.
3. 10% of the diagnosed and treated children will die before 5 years. Last year, it is estimated that 420 children died during the five year treatment term.
4. Despite improvements in 5-year survival, long-term SURVIVORS of childhood cancer are at four times the risk of death compared with the general, aging population.
September, while designated for Leukemia, is also the month designated for Awareness of All Childhood Cancers (Go Gold). August is a great month to spread awareness and break the myths related to blood cancers. Since August is wide open, there is less chance of your message getting lost among the remaining 11 major pediatric cancers. Do it now and keep the momentum going all the way through September.
