Local organizations discuss progress, support for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Sep. 28—Children get different kinds of cancers than adults, notes Dr. Ravi Patel, founder of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center in Bakersfield — and that's a good thing.
However, while adults increase their risk though poor diet and activities like smoking, children often have little ability to manage their chances of getting cancer.
"Well, in children, they don't have those risks," Patel points out, noting more common diagnoses for children include leukemia, lymphoma, brain or spinal cord tumors and, in rarer cases, blastomas. "So, they develop a different kind of cancer and, fortunately, they have become very treatable."
In addressing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is September, Patel discussed progress that's been made and local resources that, in part, make that progress possible while supporting people battling tragic, child-related illnesses.
Perhaps the most promising statistic is that the five-year survival rate for children who receive such a diagnosis is now 80 percent, compared with a few decades ago, when the figure was about 50 percent.
Patel's center, probably the most well-known local resource, is involved in a number of community partnerships, perhaps most prominently through the Kern County Cancer Foundation and the Kern County Cancer Fund.
The foundation raises money to support families dealing with cancer through events such as the Kern County Cancer Run/Walk, which took place earlier this month, and the Campout Against Cancer set for Oct. 29.
Another local nonprofit devoted to helping families in the fight against children's cancer is Bags of Love Foundation, which was started in 2018 by childhood cancer survivor Julian Castaneda when he was just 18 years old.
In just a few years, Castaneda has raised more than $100,000 to support families, garnered national attention for his efforts on shows like "Good Morning America" and helped comfort countless families through his foundation.
In addition to bags filled stickers, coloring books, a teddy bear and other comfort items for kids, the organization raises money for tickets to events for families, and scholarships, so survivors can continue their education after their battle, which is what Castaneda is currently doing at Cal State Northridge.
While working on his marketing degree, Castaneda is putting both his experience and what he's learning at CSUN to good use, creating partnerships with dozens of local businesses that support Bags of Love.
"For September, to spread awareness, we've been working with local businesses to put table tents and print materials at their countertop," he said, "and just kind of spread that awareness and get the conversation started, and so we've been able to have over 50 businesses already in Bakersfield that have supported us."
For more information about the Kern County Cancer Foundation's fundraising efforts, visit kerncountycancerfoundation.org. For more information about the Bags of Love Foundation, visit bagsoflovefoundation.com.
