Every three minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer.
And that’s why, as the summer draws to a close and we head into autumn, JoyRx, the mission delivery of Children’s Cancer Association, recognizes National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
We acknowledge the journey that begins with the life-altering words so many of the families we serve have heard — words of their child’s diagnosis that set them down a path of hospitals, treatments, and all the difficult things that come with facing cancer head-on.
Although data shows that pediatric cancer death rates have dropped in the past 40 years, cancer is still the leading cause of death from disease among children from birth to age 14. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is one of the leading causes of death among children and adolescents worldwide with approximately 280,000 children ages 0-19 diagnosed each year.
So this month, we celebrate and honor the children and their families who live this reality. And it’s for these children that we’ll always champion Joy. It’s for them that we strive to bring moments of fun and distraction to some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
You can help us reach our goal of helping every child in every hospital in the United States: There are three ways you can support JoyRx and the families we serve during this important month of awareness.
Ways to Support — Donate
The quickest and most powerful way you can make a difference and deliver Joy is to support JoyRx directly. Your donation helps ensure that every seriously ill child who wants to learn a new instrument, meet a new friend, or relax at the Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin can do so at no cost to them or their families.
Ways to Support — Volunteer
We are looking for volunteers to join our JoyRx family! Volunteers are a critical part of JoyRx support services, sharing their time and resources to help bring the healing power of Joy-based programs to seriously ill children. There are great benefits to being a volunteer with JoyRx.
We’re growing our JoyRx Mentorship program, and we need additional Portland metro-based mentors! If you or someone you know is interested in making a big difference for a seriously ill child and their family as a JoyRx Mentor, apply here.
Ways to Support — Events
We host events throughout the year that support bringing our programs to the kids we serve. We’re always looking to welcome new friends of JoyRx to our events, whether attending, sponsoring an event through your company or organization, or donating an auction item to our event auctions.
Join us at one of our events, and be sure to check back throughout the year to see how you can get involved.
How to Support the Power of Joy
At JoyRx, we know the importance of Joy during life’s most challenging moments. We’ve seen the effect our programs have had on children, helping to improve their emotional health, elevate their mood, and increase their resilience.
That’s why our mission is to bring Joy-based programming to every child in every hospital in the country. By integrating Joy into children’s hospitals, we can see a world in which music, mentorship, and nature are not just for entertainment — but are a standard of care.
Please join us this month as we lift up and support the kids and family members living with the reality of pediatric cancer and other serious illnesses.