KINGSTON, Jamaica – The month of September is observed worldwide as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Each year 15,780 persons below age 21 are diagnosed with cancer in the United States alone, and unfortunately ¼ of that number do not survive. Between 1983 and 2002 the Corporate Area in Jamaica was believed to have seen 272 cases of paediatric cancer.

Cancer is the name given to a collection of related diseases that cause disorderly conduct among cells. Normally when cells grow old or become damaged, they die and new cells replace them, but when cancer develops new cells may form where they are not needed and old, damaged cells may continue to live and tumors may grow.

This disease is no respecter of youth, innocence and naiveté. Unfortunately experts have said that Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean are way behind developed countries in cancer patient care and survival rate.

Do your part this month and donate or lend support where possible to our local bodies such as Angels of Love Jamaica and Jamaica Cancer Society, in the hopes of finding a cure and making treatment available to all those who need it.

Every TEEN matters. Every CHILD matters.