Make up your own mind, and act accordingly

Childhood cancer is not a disease which only affects the 30 odd percent of South Africans who are under the age of 18. Childhood cancer affects 100% of our country's population. Every single person, in every single town and city across the land, in every neighborhood, each and every street, every house, without exception, knows a child. 

Why then is there such a complete and utter lack of childhood cancer awareness in South Africa? 

I have a few guesses, and I do not claim to have the answers. The answers lie within each individual person's heart. 

I think that South Africans are pretty much desensitized. If you walk out of KFC on a Friday night with your take- aways, there is a good chance that you will pass a man with no legs on the sidewalk, asking for money or food. When you stop at an intersection, dirty little child faces peer at you through the window, bare feet in the rain, hands outstretched for alms. We see old people living on the streets, their families having abandoned them, we see newspaper reports of newborns found in rubbish bins. 

And we have learned to turn the blind eye. We start random conversations with whomever is with us, so that we can pretend not to hear. We have been conditioned not to care, because caring means hurt, and who in their right minds would want to hurt themselves, make themselves vulnerable, in a world where only the strongest survive?

So, my reasoning is that South Africans have become experts in living life blindly, simply to protect themselves.

And, let's face it, childhood cancer is not pleasant. It is easier living without the knowledge than it is living the reality. 

Another thought of mine is, with life having become so comfortable for South Africans, we think we are untouchable. We might see and hear about childhood cancer, we might even belong to some childhood cancer support pages on facebook, but, we believe we are immune. It will never happen to me...yeah right. 

Childhood cancer is not a picky disease, it does not give a damn about whether or not you eat organic foods, whether or not you are pink, purple or green, it does not care to whom you pray, or even if you pray. It sneaks up like a terrorist, a well trained one at that, and might have been living in your home, in your child, while you were none the wiser. It might be living there right now, and you are the one shaking your head in dismissal. 

Be(A)ware.

I recon Government is also to blame for the lack of childhood cancer awareness. This is not a scapegoat, this is fact. Government pulled their finger in spectacular fashion to create awareness about HIV/AIDS. Very well done. One needs to give credit where credit is due. They saw a great opportunity for foreign aid to South Africa, so they designed and implemented an awesome campaign. 

However, childhood cancer is responsible for more child deaths in South Africa than HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis COMBINED. Do they not see the urgency of creating awareness for childhood cancer then? Surely the Health Ministry should have the statistics at their fingertips, and surely they can do something, anything, even if it is just a public acknowledgement? 

And where is the media? Surely a story which affects 100% of the country's population is worth telling, worth documenting? But yet, we support the media in providing us with the slops because we buy the newspapers and the magazines. We actually give them money so we can turn around and say, "there was nothing really newsworthy in there anyway."

Well, I have news for you, childhood cancer is tearing this country apart. Emotionally, financially, socially. Ripping the gut out of the next generation which will be expected to carry this country. If there is no next generation to take over from us, where does that leave us in 20 or 30 years when we are too old to work and support South Africa's economy, but the children could never grow up because we let them die now? 

You think I am exaggerating. Understand the stats then and tell me I am wrong. 200 000 new cases of childhood cancer was diagnosed last year World wide. It is expected that the increase of cases diagnosed will be in excess of 70% by 2020. Diagnosed cases of childhood cancer is reputed to be only a third of the actual amount of children who have cancer. 80% of children diagnosed with cancer live in developing countries, such as South Africa. Think about it. 

So, where does that leave children with cancer if we as individuals shy away because we can't take their pain, if the Government does not seem to even know what is going on in their hospitals, if the media chooses to publish what sells in stead of what matters? 

It leaves them without a voice. Bound and gagged, attached to their chemo lines and isolated in radiation tunnels. 

Where we can have peace of mind...because it will never happen to us. Right?

 

Giving IS receiving

My personal opinion is that too many South Africans have the wrong mindset about giving.

Organizations such as ours rely completely on the gifts we receive from the community. Whether it be financial aid, or in kind. I have often wondered why it is such a struggle to raise funds. In our case, we assist children with cancer and their families.One should think that this in itself would act as a catalyst for communities to support and protect their own future.

Yet,...there always seems to be a severe lack of funding. 

While in their hearts many might give with complete love and compassion, for many, the mind takes over and interferes with what is generally perceived as what is socially acceptable. This is stifling, not only the good that can be done if everyone gave what they can, but also prevents the givers from receiving.

My logic is as such. In every single belief system, there is much meaning attached around, in short, the phrase, "what goes around, comes around". I can add to that, "again, and again, and again".

A few examples then.

Karma is the law of "Cause and Effect" and is adapted by many cultures such as Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Modern Paganism. This life is likened to a field in which our karma is the seed. We harvest exactly what we sow; no less, no more. The underlying principle is that karma is the law that brings back the results of actions to the person performing them.

"The concepts of reaping what you sow", from Galatians 6:7,or "Give, and it will be given to you... for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.", Luke 6.38, are well known Christian based beliefs.

This same concept of receiving what you give is also found in the Muslim belief. "Those who act kindly in this world will have kindness." Islam. Qur'an 39.10.

In Hinduism,  "He who gives liberally goes straight to the gods; on the high ridge of heaven he stands exalted"  Rig Veda 1.125.5

Judaism asks the question and the answer is found in Mishnah, Abot 4.1, "Who is honored? He who honors mankind."

Another example comes from Shinto. "Those who do not abandon mercy will not be abandoned by me",  Oracle of the Kami of Itsukushima.

Even Atheists, who believe in nothing at all, are more often than not quite philanthropic. 

I recon what you do or not give has to come from a place deep within you, not even your heart, but your soul. Because then it will not matter whether you give big or small. Big or small will not then be a thought that crosses your mind. It has to be a personal journey where you discover the riches of your own life, not based on what others display as riches. Then only will you rejoice in the blessings you GIVE rather than the ones you receive.

I believe firmly, it is more fulfilling to the soul to give what it can, than nothing at all. I hope that in some small way, my ramblings and thoughts make a difference to YOU today and reminds you of what you already knew. We are not alone in this world. We have a responsibility to each other. We are bound by unseen threads, and if these threads are pulled tenderly and with love, it will reverberate powerfully across the land in shows of compassion, care, and above all, love.

Well, that's my 5 cents worth, and I am proud to have given it.

Blogging for money...worth it for LFCT?

I must admit, a few months ago, I started blogging about LFCT, our Little Fighters and Projects. However, as we got more and more families on our support chain, as our projects became bigger and time less, I let is slip...BADLY! I even forgot the login details and password. Eish!

So, now I sat down and looked at this whole blogging thing seriously. Mainly because I noticed that you can earn money by blogging.

Obviously you need to blog a lot and even more than just a lot of people actually need to be interested enough in your blog to read it. The money earned is generated by topic related adds placed on your blog.

I can quite happily dedicate a few minutes a day putting a blog together. I suffer from something called passion, so to share my thoughts pertaining to childhood cancer, the challenges, the victories and to tell you more about our families and projects will be easy peasy.

BUT...the question remains, will enough people actually read an LFCT blog to enable it to earn a steady income from the amount of monthly views?

So, will you read it?

Let's see if we can get some feedback and perhaps a few comments, and then we'll take it from there.

Sincerely yours,

The Up-To-Now-Infrequent-Blogger:-)

Hope in a Bag

The Little Fighters Cancer Trust assists Children with Cancer and their Families.

Apart from supporting families nationally and adopting cancer wards in places of safety, we also have an ongoing project where we extend support to children in pediatric oncology wards around the country, delivering our Bags of Hope to children and mothers irrespective whether or not they are listed with us for support.

Most of the children and mothers who receive these Bags of Hope are from impoverished rural areas and are in hospital for months on end without being able to afford the basic necessities. Apart from providing for basic needs, LFCT aims to restore dignity where it has been ripped apart due to the devastating effects which Childhood Cancer has on families, both emotionally as well as financially.

Little Fighters Cancer Trust wishes to thank EXPAND A SIGN, who has recently sponsored 1000 canvas bags for our Bag of Hope Campaign.

The aim is to fill and distribute the full 1000 bags before December 31^st, 2012. The Bags o Hope will be distributed to Pediatric Oncology wards in hospitals nationally.

The items in a Child’s Bag of Hope are as follows:

• Soft new blanket
• New set of Pajamas
• Soft toy
• Coloring book and crayons
• Reading book, puzzle or educational game
• 0- PH Soap and facecloth
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Aqueous cream
• Crisps
• Boxed fruit juices
• Sweets

The cost of such a Bag of Hope amounts to R450.00. The cost of the Bags of Hope delivered to the mothers of the children amount to the same.

Items typically in a Mother’s Bag of Hope are:

• Dry cereals
• Longlife Milk
• Boxes of Cup-a-Soup
• Two Minute Noodles
• Sandwich Spreads
• Coffee
• Tea
• Sugar
• Rusks
• Biscuits
• Soap and facecloth
• Towel
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Sanitary products

Please feel free to Back a Bag to the value of R450.00, alternatively, smaller and larger donations are just as welcome.

Corporate donations can be invoiced for taxation benefits. If you require an invoice, please email a proof of payment to mandie@lando.co.za with full company details.

Please feel free to share this project’s URL on your personal facebook page or assist us by forwarding the appeal to your email contacts.

There is a Little Fighter who needs YOU in their corner!

CHILDHOOD CANCER FACTS:

• Childhood Cancer is responsible for more child deaths in South Africa and World wide than HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis COMBINED.
• 200 000 NEW cases of Childhood Cancer was diagnosed World wide the past year.
• 80% of the newly diagnosed Childhood Cancer cases is in developing countries, which include South Africa.
• The success rate for treating Childhood Cancer in developed countries, such as the US and Europe, is 80-90%, whilst the success rate in developing countries, including South Africa, is a mere 10-20%

(As per the National Tumor Registry of South Africa 2011 Statistics Release)

Please follow this link to donate:

 http://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/hope-in-a-bag-with-lfct

 

Mother's Day Treat in store for Mothers in Red Cross Pead.Onc. Ward, May 13th, 2012

“Her love is like
an island in life's ocean,
vast and wide
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.
'Tis bound on the North by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And thro' the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there. “
Author Unknown

Mothers Day is May 13^th this year. Most of us will be spoilt with gifts, kind gestures and surrounded by our loving families. Many of us will be doing the spoiling! Some of us will yearn for our Mothers who are no longer with us in life. For many onco- Mothers though, it will be a day no different from the previous…or the next.

The day will be spent next to their child’s bedside, watching monitors, wiping a feverish brow, comforting fears and wishing, oh so much, to go home. These Great Mothers often have left their employment and cannot be with the rest of their families due to financial circumstances or the distance they have to travel to be home. Mothers leave their husbands and other children to care for their cancer diagnosed child in hospital. Some of these Mothers remain at the bedside of their child for months, at times years, at a time.

The Little fighters Cancer Trust intends to create a special Mothers Day this year for all the Mothers in Red Cross Children’s Hospital’s G1 Pediatric Oncology Ward.
Each Mother will receive:

• Flowers. Bunches and vases are impractical in the wards, but we will make special little flower boxes for each Mother which will be small, easy to move around and not in the way of the medical staff.
• Gift. Each Mother will receive a toiletry bag filled with Body Scrub, Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Hand Lotion. Practical gifts which will make them feel feminine and spoilt, but yet useful.
• We will prepare a lovely Sunday Lunch with all the trimmings for the Mothers, deliver it to the ward. We will set a table for them in the communal area, complete with napkins, tablecloths, flowers and decorations. These mothers very rarely get a good meal, never mind being able to sit at a table and be waited on.

Now, this is how it is going to work.
We cater for 20 Mothers. We need R5000.00. We have one month in which to raise the funds.

We rely completely on YOU to make this project a reality. Any donations are welcome; there are no big or small donations.

When you donate here, please leave a message for one of the Mothers who will be at G1 on Mother’s Day. We will give each Mother a Mother’s Day card and will copy YOUR message to her into the card. If we have more donations than Mothers, we will distribute the messages equally between the cards. This is YOUR message to a Mother, you can make it as personal as you like. If you would like us to sign the card in your name/ names, please add your name to the message as well.

If you do a R250 donation, your name alone and your message alone will be in one card.
This is also a great way of honoring those of our Mothers who are no longer with us. You can make the donation in your Mother’s name as well.

If you think this is a great gift to your Mother, we will also issue a special Gift Certificate to you via email. The Gift Certificate will detail the gift of their giving with a beautiful thank you message and a poem to tell your Mother how much you appreciate her. Please add your email address to your message.
The gift of giving…I like the way that sounds.

Be the one who gives the Hope, be the answer to a Prayer.

If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to call Mandie on 073 729 6155 or email mandie@lando.co.za.

Donate via the below link

 http://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/2012-mothers-day-a-tribute-to-great-mothers