September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Yes, children get cancer, too. In fact, despite remarkable research progress, cancer still kills more children than any other disease. More and better cures must be found.

Cancer in infants, children, teenagers and young adults is more common than most people realize.

4Currently, one in every 330 Americans develops cancer during childhood or adolescence, before the age of 20. On the average, 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every weekday in the United States.

4On the average, one in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients.

4Childhood cancer as a group is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States; it is exceeded in incidence per population only by cancers of the lung, colon, breast, prostate and bladder.

4Nationally, the incidence of cancer in children is more than 20 times greater than the incidence of AIDS in children.

4American children are more likely to develop leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, neuroblastoma, Wilms' Tumor or a sarcoma than to develop HIV/AIDS.

4Childhood cancers affect more potential patient-years of life than any other cancer except breast and lung cancer.

4Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.

4The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown.

4At present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented. (from www.childhoodcancerawareness.org)

Our ordeal with childhood cancer began last November when our pediatrician sent my 7-month-old daughter, Kati, for a MRI.

Later that same day, we were at Columbus Children's Hospital diagnosed with an optic pathway glioma - a brain tumor.

Like any parent faced with the same situation, my husband and I were devastated and not sure how we could go on.

Five days after diagnosis, Kati had surgery to place a port in the middle of her chest so she could receive the chemotherapy.

We traveled to Columbus for treatment for four months until we learned that Cabell Huntington Hospital had a pediatric oncology unit.

We have been there ever since working with the wonderful doctors and nurses dedicated to helping their young cancer patients.

Amazingly, while this last year has been difficult for the entire family, Kati has been blessed with good health throughout the many months of chemotherapy treatments.

Kati will continue to receive treatment until May 2005, then she will be monitored with MRIs until the tumor begins to grow again.

Kati will always have the brain tumor, so the doctors say, and will continue the regimen of chemotherapy as long as it continues to shrink the tumor.

It is my hope that people in our region will become more aware that cancer can attack all ages.

Before our experience, my husband and I did not truly realize how many children are affected and the many different forms of cancer there are that attack only children.

Show your support for the children in our community that are fighting for their lives.

A gold ribbon worn on your lapel or magnet on you car shows that you want to Conquer Kids’ Cancer and see more cures available for infants, children, and teenagers with cancer. I wish everyone in Lawrence County would wear a gold ribbon during September, because our children are our gold!

Gold ribbons can be purchased through a national organization on the Web at www.candlelighters.org

Cindy Scott is an Ironton resident and teacher at the New Boston Schools. Her daughter and family have been battling childhood cancer for the past 10 months.