Childhood Cancer Awareness Month flag raised in Amherstburg

A flag raising was held Sept. 1 to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Amherstburg.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that has been recognized in Amherstburg.

A flag raising ceremony was held last Tuesday (Sept. 1) at noon in front of town hall where it was recognized.

Lorraine Jewell, Windsor Family Support and Community Engagement Liaison with Childcan, was pleased to be in Amherstburg for the event. A press release from the organization pointed out other municipalities in Ontario held similar flag raisings last week, with Essex County municipalities also including Tecumseh, LaSalle, Kingsville and Essex. Other municipalities were Stratford, St. Mary’s, Alymer, Chatham, Owen Sound, Huron County, London, Sault Ste. Marie, Elgin County and St. Thomas.

Childcan also planned on having representation this past Tuesday (Sept. 8) in Elgin County and noted St. Thomas is hosting a flag raising Sept. 21.

“It was a heartwarming event, and we are very grateful to Mayor (Michael) Prue and the Town of Amherstburg for recognizing its importance and for helping to raise awareness across their municipality and Essex County. It was also quite inspiring to have a couple of our Childcan families in attendance to raise the flag,” said Jewell.  “It was evident with the number of their extended family members by their side, that support in many different forms is so important.  As the Family Support Liaison for Childcan, in Windsor-Essex, I am able to spend time with local families on their journey with childhood cancer from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and post-treatment, and also bereavement.”  

Jewell added: “Childcan has many different programs that assist families financially, emotionally, and socially, and these programs are vital to families as they try to navigate such a devastating time.  We are honoured to be able to walk alongside these families and will do what we can to spread awareness for childhood cancer so families facing a diagnosis can feel seen and supported.”

Prue read the proclamation aloud that declared it Childhood Cancer Awareness Month internationally and that most recent data shows that cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death in children.

The proclamation states: “Cancer in children affects aspects of their physical, emotional, and social development, as well as their family and school life, effects which research shows are long-lasting; and Childcan strives to make childhood cancer a health priority, fund innovative research, and expand family supports until childhood cancer is eliminated. It added “Childcan raises awareness and funds to provide personalized, responsive, and compassionate programs and services to families facing the childhood cancer journey from diagnosis, through treatment, post-treatment care, or bereavement.”

It continues by stating “organizations which support families dealing with childhood cancer are working together to raise awareness of this disease and its devastating effects, as well as raising funds to support the affected families and children; and raised awareness and funds will help these families and children deal with the emotional and financial toll.” Town council declared it Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the Town of Amherstburg.

Prue, joined by Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb and Councillor Peter Courtney at the flag raising, thanked Childcan for their work. He also thanked the families of childhood cancer patients for supporting their families and also for attending the flag raising, adding he encourages them to tell politicians what they need.

“When you support people here, you support everyone in Canada and perhaps the entire world,” he said. 

Childcan states it has been raising awareness and funds to provide personalized, responsive, and compassionate emotional, financial, and social support programs and services to families facing the childhood cancer journey from diagnosis, through treatment, post-treatment care, or bereavement since it was founded in 1974. The organization states it also funds innovative research at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences and at the University of Windsor, has a vision to make childhood cancer a health priority and expand family supports until childhood cancer is eliminated. Learn more at www.childcan.com.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month flag raised in Amherstburg

By Ron Giofu