Childhood cancer is more common than many may realize. Please use this fact sheet to arm yourself with knowledge – and spread the word – about childhood cancer.
- 12,700 children will be diagnosed with cancer in the next 12 months.
- In Georgia, more than 430 children will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
- A newborn male has a 1-in-300 chance of developing cancer by age 20.
- A newborn female has a 1-in-333 chance of developing cancer by age 20.
- Cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease of children.
- The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is 6 years old.
- 1 out of 5 children with childhood cancer die.
- Every school day, 46 young people (or two classrooms of children) are diagnosed with cancer.
- 3 out of 5 children suffer from long-term side effects from cancer.
- Only 2% of federal funding for cancer research is focused on childhood cancers.
- Childhood cancer is not one disease. There are more than 25 different types, each requiring their own research.
- Childhood cancer is not the same as adult cancer. Separate research and treatments are required.
- Since the 1950s, overall survival rates have risen from less than 10% to almost 80%.
- Childhood cancer cure rates vary for each type of childhood cancer.
- Overall progress has flat lined over the lat 10 years, indicating a strong need to increase funding research for children.
- There are about 270,000 childhood cancer survivors in the U.S., or 1-in-every-900 young adults.
- Since nearly 30% of the U.S. population is under the age of 20, we must find ways to fund critical research that will deliver a cure.
- This year, CURE is funding $1.7 million in research spanning 13 major studies.
