One Small Voice

With just one small voice

Singing out a song

With just one small voice

Singing sweet and strong

One by one they'll grow

And together sing along

And then soon all the world

Will be singing

Those are song lyrics by Jack Hartmann, and it's one of me and Charlotte's favorite songs. It holds a sweet memory in my heart as we were in NYC for treatment and down in the playroom at the Ronald MacDonald House where I was playing it on the piano and Charlotte would sing it, in her little sweet voice. (I still have the audio I kept on my phone of her singing this song). Her voice was small. She was small. But the notion of starting something with one small voice, then adding on and growing louder all together, holds true for our pediatric cancer community.

image by firstcry parenting

Today is International Childhood Cancer Day. It's a global collaborative campaign to help raise awareness for childhood cancer, highlighting inequities and issues, as well as showing support for the children and young people living with and beyond cancer. There was once a time we too didn't have a child with cancer. It can happen that fast.

Sharing the realities and facts is one way to generate a community that cares and perhaps shape change with the advancements required to give our children better outcomes. One little voice being multiplied by many. Singing together so others can hear.

There are many important things that can be shared and that we will help share over time as we raise awareness through Be The Rainbow Foundation's work and as we advocate for kids and their families as part of our mission. Today, we will share a few and we thank you for taking the time to learn, to care, and to spread awareness with the hopes that as we raise our voices, our precious children and adolescents will benefit from the best possible treatment, care, and outcomes no matter their cancer or where they live.