September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For many people, you may not think about childhood cancer other than when you hear of a child that has been diagnosed, but then go on with your lives. For many thousands of parents...we don't have that option. Everyday 40 children are diagnosed with cancer. 1 out of every 330 children will be diagnosed with some form of childhood cancer, before the age of 20. I am one of those parents who does not have the luxury of not thinking about childhood cancer...it killed my 2 year old daughter, 2 years ago. My daughter, Jordyn was just 6 days short of turning 1 years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia also known as AML leukemia. AML is found most often in adults over the age of 60. Yet, it still finds it's way to children...along with over 50 other types of cancers. So many people when they hear of a child being diagnosed with cancer think the child must have Leuekemia...Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or ALL leukemia, is more common in children...sadly many people here that 70% of children survive this cancer and think that is a great statistic...think though..that is still leaving 30% of those children to die from ALL in the first 5 years of diagnosis. When you hear the 70% survival rate, that is ONLY for 5 years...after that that number just is not that good...it drops drastically. There are things you can do individually. You can purchase a Gold Ribbon to help raise awareness to Childhood Cancer. The Gold Ribbon was designed by Gigi Thornsen in memory of her daughter, Kelsey who lived less than a month after being diagnosed with ALL leukemia. The National Childhood Cancer Foundation (NCCF) holds Gold Ribbon Days. This three-day event will be jammed packed full of events for those interested in helping fight childhood cancer. You will be allowed to visit with your legislation, attend forum's from listening to leading physicians to end of life experts. My husband, son and I will be attending Gold Ribbon Days. This years event is very special to us, because we will be meeting with some very special people at the event. Earlier this year one of the NCCF events to raise funding was St. Baldrick's Day...which people shave their head. This was started by 3 men, one of them being John Bender who works across the street from Ground Zero...former World Trade Towers. John who is a very successful business man raised the most money this year for St. Baldrick's Day and was given 2 round trip tickets to Ireland. He gave them to my husband and I after reading an e-mail I had written to thank all those who shaved their heads. You do not have to know a child personally to be touched. You don't have to be told those dreadful terrifying words..."your child has cancer" to do something. You don't want to be that parent to be told that. You don't want to be that grandparent being called on the phone by your sobbing son or daughter telling you your grandchild has cancer...or the aunt or uncle, etc. Write your Legislation, demanding more funding for Childhood Cancer Research. Make donations to NCCF. They have allowed us to set up a fund in Jordyn's name so that all money that comes into them in her name goes strictly to AML leukemia research. Donate to St. Jude's. Today you can change so many people's lives...just by opening up your heart. I BEG you to do something...anything. Children are dying. Promote the Childhood Cancer Awareness Postage Stamp. Cancer kills more children than any other disease. Childhood cancer is the second killer in children behind accidents. This is not a "ranking" we as society should be accepting. Please read about Jordyn's story on her website or . I urge you to take a stand against Childhood Cancer. Christy and Chad Fitzpatrick. parents of Jordyn Ashleigh Fitzpatrick who died from AML leukemia on May 8, 2000 Fort Riley, KS