You’ve probably heard the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, when cancer enters the picture, that village becomes vital to the entire family’s survival--physically and emotionally. Caring for a child with cancer takes all of the parent’s attention and time. From administering medications at various times throughout the day and night, to taking the child to daily appointments for multiple doctors, to the everyday worries of normal child rearing, parents are on call 24/7. That does not even touch the child’s mood swings and sleepless nights from the side effects of steroids, or the occasional trips to the ER in the middle of the night because the child has a fever of 101.

Because all of the focus is on the cancer child and the challenges that come with the disease, many times one parent steps back from his or her job, bringing the family down to a one income household. Sometimes this is because the family has to travel elsewhere to get treatment and may spend months at a facility far from home.

During this time, support is needed in so many forms. House, car, and medical bills need to be paid, families need to be fed, and distractions in forms of heartfelt cards, movies, books, and games go the distance in helping them make it through another day.

Our family was so lucky to have support from so many people and organizations. It is our goal to help pay it forward in order to help the many families fighting this common enemy.