Childhood Cancer Awareness Quilt
Childhood Cancer - The Facts
Childhood cancer strikes more than 12,000 children each year. Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killer of children. More children die from cancer than from any other disease, including asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and AIDS, combined.
1 out of 330 children will develop cancer before their 20th birthday.
How the Quilts Began
The idea of creating a quilt that would represent to the world that children are being treated, surviving, and dying from many types of cancers was the idea of a mother in South Carolina, Kathy Cales. Her daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma (a solid tumor) in July 1995. Kathy’s idea was embraced by many other parents, caregivers, family members and friends of children with cancer that were willing to try to make a difference, and the creation of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Quilt began.
The message quickly spread via Internet support groups, and many quilts were sewn representing almost every state in the country. Almost 50 quilts from around the nation were unveiled and displayed at The March against Cancer in Washington D.C. on September 26, 1998. Supermodel Cindy Crawford took part in the beautiful and emotional unveiling ceremony. Click here for images from the original 1998 quilt ceremony.
The March Against Cancer - 1998 and other photos
A Powerful Message
Each square on these quilts tells a story: The story of a child with cancer -- the story of life, survival, hope, and sometimes death. Within those stories you will find young heroes battling this life-threatening disease with incredible strength and courage. The squares were joined together with a lot of love to honor these special children surviving cancer and to memorialize children lost to cancer.
Continuing Awareness
The quilts are displayed to bring awareness to the issue of childhood cancer. Most of these children were born healthy and strong and enjoyed a normal life until their cancer diagnosis. The thought of cancer never crossed the minds of their parents. The symptoms of childhood cancer are often mistaken for normal childhood illness.
The goal of the quilts is to make preventing and curing childhood cancer a national health priority. The quilts have continued to grow in number since the first display in 1998. They have been on a cross-country bike tour with One Voice Across America, visiting cancer treatment centers and inspiring families along the way. They have graced the Rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building in our nation's capital, as well as the Rayburn House Office Building. Each year during September -- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month -- the quilts are on display during Gold Ribbon Days. The Virginia quilts have also been displayed at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night walk. During the December holidays, the quilts are displayed around the Gold Ribbon Holiday Tree. They are a beautiful and moving tribute to our young heroes.
For more information about the Childhood Cancer Awareness Quilts, contact the quilt coordinator for the State of Virginia, Lisa Tignor at childhoodcancerquilt@comcast.net.
National Childhood Cancer Foundation
Candlelighter's Childhood Cancer Foundation
Gold Ribbons for Childhood Cancer
Association of Cancer Online Resources
Contact:
childhoodcancerquilt@comcast.net
