The Teddy Hug Train
Donativo protegido
If you are ever a parent unfortunate enough to hear the words “Your child has cancer,” they are immediately followed by phrases like “You did nothing to cause this” or “This is just really bad luck.” And part of those statements is true.
Our son, Teddy, was diagnosed on July 21, 2018 when he was just 2.5 years old. I certainly do not think that we did anything to cause Teddy’s brain tumor – it is just really horrible luck in some ways. However, we have a generation of the UNLUCKIEST kids in history. Cancer is the number one leading cause of death in children by disease in the US:
- The incidence of childhood cancer is on the increase, averaging 0.6% increase per year since mid 1970’s through 2009 and 0.8% per year during 2010-2014, resulting in an overall increase of 24% over the last 40 years (1, 7F)
- 1 in 285 children was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 (1)
- 43 children per day or 15,780 children per year are expected to be diagnosed in with cancer (10,450 ages 0 to 14, and 5,330 ages 15 to 19) (1)
- The average age at diagnosis is 8 overall (ages 0 to 19), 5 years old for children (aged 0 to 14), and 17 years old for adolescents (aged 15 to 19) (9), while adults’ average age for cancer diagnosis is 65 (7a)
- Childhood cancer is not one disease – there are more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes.(1)
*Childhood Cancer Fact Library (2018)
We are told that funding for childhood cancer is lacking because it is so rare. These statistics tell a much different story. Childhood cancer may have been a rare phenomenon years ago, but it is steadily becoming more prevalent. Even the brain tumor Teddy has was first discovered in 1999. A new tumor as of 1999!
Childhood cancers are evolving and gaining momentum. We should all be outraged that only 4% of the cancer research budget goes to these CHILDREN. We need to do more for the children who are fighting this horrible group of diseases. We need to start researching the reasons more and more children are being ravaged by this deadly monster and start researching NEW treatment methods refusing to accept that the protocols developed in the 1980’s are still the best thing we’ve got.
When you donate to the Teddy Hug Train via GoFundMe we will use all of the knowledge we have gained during the past year and a half to give back to those organizations that have breathed life into our family during our darkest days, to research that we feel is dedicated to truly help cure our children which is not funded solely by pharmaceutical companies, and to other families starting the unthinkable journey we embarked on as a family last July. Teddy is still battling and because of our amazing support system and generous childhood cancer organizations we have been able to become a single income household and give him the dedicated care he deserves. The Teddy Hug Train is an idea that Teddy’s dad, who wrote and performs “In Your Blood,” developed shortly after Teddy’s diagnosis. The faith that one day in our future we will go on a trip with our two sons to personally thank all of the people who have helped us.
Never stop praying. Never stop hoping. And never, ever, give up.
Children are More Precious than Gold.
Love and Thanks,
The Teddy Hug Train
Our son, Teddy, was diagnosed on July 21, 2018 when he was just 2.5 years old. I certainly do not think that we did anything to cause Teddy’s brain tumor – it is just really horrible luck in some ways. However, we have a generation of the UNLUCKIEST kids in history. Cancer is the number one leading cause of death in children by disease in the US:
- The incidence of childhood cancer is on the increase, averaging 0.6% increase per year since mid 1970’s through 2009 and 0.8% per year during 2010-2014, resulting in an overall increase of 24% over the last 40 years (1, 7F)
- 1 in 285 children was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 (1)
- 43 children per day or 15,780 children per year are expected to be diagnosed in with cancer (10,450 ages 0 to 14, and 5,330 ages 15 to 19) (1)
- The average age at diagnosis is 8 overall (ages 0 to 19), 5 years old for children (aged 0 to 14), and 17 years old for adolescents (aged 15 to 19) (9), while adults’ average age for cancer diagnosis is 65 (7a)
- Childhood cancer is not one disease – there are more than 12 major types of pediatric cancers and over 100 subtypes.(1)
*Childhood Cancer Fact Library (2018)
We are told that funding for childhood cancer is lacking because it is so rare. These statistics tell a much different story. Childhood cancer may have been a rare phenomenon years ago, but it is steadily becoming more prevalent. Even the brain tumor Teddy has was first discovered in 1999. A new tumor as of 1999!
Childhood cancers are evolving and gaining momentum. We should all be outraged that only 4% of the cancer research budget goes to these CHILDREN. We need to do more for the children who are fighting this horrible group of diseases. We need to start researching the reasons more and more children are being ravaged by this deadly monster and start researching NEW treatment methods refusing to accept that the protocols developed in the 1980’s are still the best thing we’ve got.
When you donate to the Teddy Hug Train via GoFundMe we will use all of the knowledge we have gained during the past year and a half to give back to those organizations that have breathed life into our family during our darkest days, to research that we feel is dedicated to truly help cure our children which is not funded solely by pharmaceutical companies, and to other families starting the unthinkable journey we embarked on as a family last July. Teddy is still battling and because of our amazing support system and generous childhood cancer organizations we have been able to become a single income household and give him the dedicated care he deserves. The Teddy Hug Train is an idea that Teddy’s dad, who wrote and performs “In Your Blood,” developed shortly after Teddy’s diagnosis. The faith that one day in our future we will go on a trip with our two sons to personally thank all of the people who have helped us.
Never stop praying. Never stop hoping. And never, ever, give up.
Children are More Precious than Gold.
Love and Thanks,
The Teddy Hug Train
Organizador
Ryan Marchione
Organizador
Fairfield, CT