[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Lee.

If I had to choose between paying higher taxes/living a bleaker life or my son dying to cancer, I know which option I'd go for. It's a hideous disease that destroys families; cancer doesn't discriminate, it doesn't just victimise the old or infirm, it also picks on the young and innocent who deserve a chance at life.

..I totally agree with this, Lee...I haven't experienced what you have and the reality of the possibility of losing a child but I've know very many families who have and (as you've said before a few times..)..it's not just something that effects at the time you're all going through it, it has such a long term effect on families..(fortunately not so much with the child themselves as they move on from the treatment and are well again..)...I know a parent who had two of her children diagnosed with leukaemia, within weeks of each other, they're both well now and completely clear and their lives are like any other young life/filled with the things that they should be filled with...their mum does many fund raising things still and has also achieved personal 'spiritual' things through this/self-awareness and fulfilment things..like climbs/walks etc all over the world....fund raising for any break-through treatments is also a thing as well and something we can all do, whether personally touched by or not...and yeah, through the tax system of course, could be something for the Governments to consider../in many countries because cancer is worldwide obviously, it doesn't discriminate any geography...

[Lee.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..I totally agree with this, Lee...I haven't experienced what you have and the reality of the possibility of losing a child but I've know very many families who have and (as you've said before a few times..)..it's not just something that effects at the time you're all going through it, it has such a long term effect on families..(fortunately not so much with the child themselves as they move on from the treatment and are well again..)...I know a parent who had two of her children diagnosed with leukaemia, within weeks of each other, they're both well now and completely clear and their lives are like any other young life/filled with the things that they should be filled with...their mum does many fund raising things still and has also achieved personal 'spiritual' things through this/self-awareness and fulfilment things..like climbs/walks etc all over the world....fund raising for any break-through treatments is also a thing as well and something we can all do, whether personally touched by or not...and yeah, through the tax system of course, could be something for the Governments to consider../in many countries because cancer is worldwide obviously, it doesn't discriminate any geography...

2 children with leukaemia? Jesus H.. That's terrible! Also, on the subject of research and funding; CRUK only use 1% of their research funds to research childhood cancer. They have recently (after being pressurised by a nationwide campaign) launched a child and teens campaign but we'll see... It's shocking that they use poor little bald kids in their adverts, but don't actually fund finding them a cure. In the past 20 years, only 2 new children's cancer treatments have been made, compared to 80+ for adult cancers.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Lee.

2 children with leukaemia? Jesus H.. That's terrible! Also, on the subject of research and funding; CRUK only use 1% of their research funds to research childhood cancer. They have recently (after being pressurised by a nationwide campaign) launched a child and teens campaign but we'll see... It's shocking that they use poor little bald kids in their adverts, but don't actually fund finding them a cure. In the past 20 years, only 2 new children's cancer treatments have been made, compared to 80+ for adult cancers.

Really? That's surprising Lee, you would have thought kids would be a priority but I guess until you're in the situation yourself you wouldn't have much cause to properly investigate these things

[Lee.]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Really? That's surprising Lee, you would have thought kids would be a priority but I guess until you're in the situation yourself you wouldn't have much cause to properly investigate these things

Yeah, it really surprised me too Niamh. I suppose the research companies/pharmaceuticals won't make as much money from researching children's cancer as only a small percentage of cancer diagnosis' are children?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Lee.

Yeah, it really surprised me too Niamh. I suppose the research companies/pharmaceuticals won't make as much money from researching children's cancer as only a small percentage of cancer diagnosis' are children?

Maybe, that's the greedy world we live in I guess and I suppose where TS's points are coming from

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Lee.

2 children with leukaemia? Jesus H.. That's terrible! Also, on the subject of research and funding; CRUK only use 1% of their research funds to research childhood cancer. They have recently (after being pressurised by a nationwide campaign) launched a child and teens campaign but we'll see... It's shocking that they use poor little bald kids in their adverts, but don't actually fund finding them a cure. In the past 20 years, only 2 new children's cancer treatments have been made, compared to 80+ for adult cancers.

..wow...do you think that's because in general, it's believed that child cancer has a better prognosis than adult cancers...?.../obviously I'm generalising ....