Next time you are feeling generous. . .
A dear friend of mine very recently lost her son to cancer.
He was 12 years old.
This is something that should never have to happen. She has recently posted some information about cancer charities that everyone should know:
"* Did you know?
*Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.
*On the average 12,500 children and teens will be diagnosed with some form of cancer each year in this country.
*One in 330 children will develop cancer by age 20.
*Although the 5 year survival rate is steadily increasing, one quarter of children will die 5 years from the time of diagnosis.
*Cancer remains the #1 disease killer of America's children - more than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Asthma and AIDS combined.
*In the U.S. almost 3,000 children do not survive cancer each year.
*Over the past two decades, only ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use.
*Currently there are between 30-40,000 children undergoing cancer treatment in the U.S.
*As a nation, we spend over $14 BILLION per year on the space program, but only $35 MILLION on Childhood Cancer Research each year.
*There are 15 children diagnosed with cancer for every one child diagnosed with pediatric AIDS. Yet, the U.S. invests approximately $595,000 for research per victim of pediatric AIDS and only $20,000 for each victim of childhood cancer. (THIS ONE MAKES ME SO ANGRY!)
*Research funds are scarce as most money is diverted to well-publicized adult forms of cancer, such as breast and prostate.
*Right now, this second, somewhere in America, there are 7 children fighting for their lives who won't live through the day.
Ok, so there are the "facts" on pediatric cancer. Now read some facts about the organizations that we think are helping to fight it:
Of all the money collected each year by the American Cancer Society, only 2.96% of that is directed toward childhood cancers. ALL childhood cancers. Not 2.96% toward leukemia, and 2.96% toward brain tumors . . . that measly amount is split among ALL childhood cancers.
Here is an example to put it into perspective (special thanks to Bob at PAC2 for putting this information together): if you donate $2,000 to the American Cancer Society, $200 (10%) goes to admin fees; fundraising expenses take another 22%, or $440. Of the remaining $1,360, 2.96%, or $40 of the original $2,000 you donated will be directed toward childhood cancer.
Only $40.
Of course, the American Cancer Society's CEO still makes $619,551 per year. Heaven forbid he make less though; he deserves that much for all of the lives he's saving, right? Tell that to the seven children mentioned above that will die today.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has similar information. Only 26.7% of the money they raise (which was a total of $230 MILLION last year) goes toward research. Smart ones they are though, because they don't advertise how much of that research money goes toward childhood cancer. But their CEO's salary is public information.
$494,867.
. . . I hope that people will keep some of this in mind as they choose who they'll make charitable donations to this year . . .
But there is some good news. There are organizations out there whose numbers are a little more favorable. CureSearch would be one of those. CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation is dedicated to raising private funds for childhood cancer research for the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest cooperative cancer research organization. And you want to know what their CEO's salary is?
ZERO! That's right, he earns $0 for what he does.
There is a great website that I've recently discovered called Charity Navigator. It ranks charities with anywhere from 1 to 4 stars based on how they spend the money that is donated to them. Here are the numbers for the organizations I mentioned above:
American Cancer Society - 2 stars overall, but only 1 of 4 stars for fundraising efficiency.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - 3 stars overall, but only 2 of 4 for fundraising efficiency.
CureSearch (CFC #10701) - 4 stars - for everything!
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (CFC #10190) - 4 stars, again for everything!
Special Love for Children with Cancer (CFC #49642) isn't on Charity Navigator, but I can tell you just from experience with my family, what they do for the kids receives 4 out of 4 stars from me!"
Think about that before you donate money - who are you REALLY giving your money to? Someone who deserves a chance, or someone who makes more money a day than you do a month??
NO MORE. We work hard for our money and when we give what little we have, it should go to those who really need it. Donate wisely, and maybe one day, no one will have to give these statistics again.
He was 12 years old.
This is something that should never have to happen. She has recently posted some information about cancer charities that everyone should know:
"* Did you know?
*Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.
*On the average 12,500 children and teens will be diagnosed with some form of cancer each year in this country.
*One in 330 children will develop cancer by age 20.
*Although the 5 year survival rate is steadily increasing, one quarter of children will die 5 years from the time of diagnosis.
*Cancer remains the #1 disease killer of America's children - more than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Asthma and AIDS combined.
*In the U.S. almost 3,000 children do not survive cancer each year.
*Over the past two decades, only ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric use.
*Currently there are between 30-40,000 children undergoing cancer treatment in the U.S.
*As a nation, we spend over $14 BILLION per year on the space program, but only $35 MILLION on Childhood Cancer Research each year.
*There are 15 children diagnosed with cancer for every one child diagnosed with pediatric AIDS. Yet, the U.S. invests approximately $595,000 for research per victim of pediatric AIDS and only $20,000 for each victim of childhood cancer. (THIS ONE MAKES ME SO ANGRY!)
*Research funds are scarce as most money is diverted to well-publicized adult forms of cancer, such as breast and prostate.
*Right now, this second, somewhere in America, there are 7 children fighting for their lives who won't live through the day.
Ok, so there are the "facts" on pediatric cancer. Now read some facts about the organizations that we think are helping to fight it:
Of all the money collected each year by the American Cancer Society, only 2.96% of that is directed toward childhood cancers. ALL childhood cancers. Not 2.96% toward leukemia, and 2.96% toward brain tumors . . . that measly amount is split among ALL childhood cancers.
Here is an example to put it into perspective (special thanks to Bob at PAC2 for putting this information together): if you donate $2,000 to the American Cancer Society, $200 (10%) goes to admin fees; fundraising expenses take another 22%, or $440. Of the remaining $1,360, 2.96%, or $40 of the original $2,000 you donated will be directed toward childhood cancer.
Only $40.
Of course, the American Cancer Society's CEO still makes $619,551 per year. Heaven forbid he make less though; he deserves that much for all of the lives he's saving, right? Tell that to the seven children mentioned above that will die today.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has similar information. Only 26.7% of the money they raise (which was a total of $230 MILLION last year) goes toward research. Smart ones they are though, because they don't advertise how much of that research money goes toward childhood cancer. But their CEO's salary is public information.
$494,867.
. . . I hope that people will keep some of this in mind as they choose who they'll make charitable donations to this year . . .
But there is some good news. There are organizations out there whose numbers are a little more favorable. CureSearch would be one of those. CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation is dedicated to raising private funds for childhood cancer research for the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest cooperative cancer research organization. And you want to know what their CEO's salary is?
ZERO! That's right, he earns $0 for what he does.
There is a great website that I've recently discovered called Charity Navigator. It ranks charities with anywhere from 1 to 4 stars based on how they spend the money that is donated to them. Here are the numbers for the organizations I mentioned above:
American Cancer Society - 2 stars overall, but only 1 of 4 stars for fundraising efficiency.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - 3 stars overall, but only 2 of 4 for fundraising efficiency.
CureSearch (CFC #10701) - 4 stars - for everything!
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (CFC #10190) - 4 stars, again for everything!
Special Love for Children with Cancer (CFC #49642) isn't on Charity Navigator, but I can tell you just from experience with my family, what they do for the kids receives 4 out of 4 stars from me!"
Think about that before you donate money - who are you REALLY giving your money to? Someone who deserves a chance, or someone who makes more money a day than you do a month??
NO MORE. We work hard for our money and when we give what little we have, it should go to those who really need it. Donate wisely, and maybe one day, no one will have to give these statistics again.