September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For parents with children who have cancer, this is a time to advocate for their children. Each year approximately 15,700 children are diagnosed with cancer. Despite these statistics, childhood cancers do not receive as much funding as adult cancers and the causes of childhood cancer are still unknown.

With the help of two parents and bloggers, Lara and Ken, whose children faced cancer, here is what you need to know about childhood cancer.

We are facing extremely challenging times in our country due to the many layers of crisis and strife affecting our families, our communities and our nation. The tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, as well as COVID-19 disproportionately affecting racial and ethnic minorities, lay bare the racial inequities in our society and magnify very real systemic and institutional injustices. The Cancer Support Community (CSC) will continue to advocate for health care policies that break down inequities and enable all individuals to have access to affordable medical care and support.

Each month, the Cancer Policy Institute profiles advocates who have been engaged in cancer advocacy. Read on to learn more about Rachel, a graduate student at the University of Maryland getting a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Health Policy.

If you are interested in learning more about policy, advocacy, and ways to get involved, sign up to be a part of the Grassroots Network!