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Show Cancer: Kidsenemy f too Take a guess: What is the biggest killer of children, next to accidents? Cancer. Shocked? Next to accidents cancer is the biggest cause of deaths among children under 16. Though the prevalence of cancer among children is small compared with adults it remains a serious medical problem for families that are affected. Considerable progress has been made in the treatment of childhood cancer. The death rate from acute leukemia, kidney, bone, brain and lymph cancers among children has declined steadily in the last 20 years. Perhaps the most dramatic example of what can be accomplished ac-complished by cancer research is in the attack against acute leukemia among children. This is the most widespread type ' of cancer affecting youngsters. Some 15 years ago the average survival time for children with leukemia was about three months. Today, 50 percent of all children treated with modern combined chemotherapy are alive and well five years after such treatment. The teamwork available at well-equipped well-equipped institutions, where various types of specialists combine their efforts, makes this possible. It is therefore not surprising sur-prising to find that the American Cancer Society spends about $5,000,000 a year on leukemia-related leukemia-related research. The American Cancer Society has also developed a program of counseling and help for familiers where cancer strikes, in order to help families cope with the profound psychological and social problems that affect them. Everyone needs contributions, or so it seems. But bear in mind the efforts of this reputable organization when volunteers call on you. They have one desire: To cure cancer in your lifetime. |