I wanted to do something that could make a difference for children with cancer. Every year, around 600 children in the Netherlands are diagnosed with cancer. That’s about 11 children every single week. The good news is that treatments are getting better. New research released this month found that 83.2% of children diagnosed with cancer between 2010 and 2014 were still alive ten years later. That number has improved compared with children diagnosed ten years earlier. But sadly, even today, an average of around two children in the Netherlands still die from cancer every week.
In the Netherlands, all children with cancer are treated at the Prinses Máxima Centrum for pediatric oncology in Utrecht, which is the largest childhood cancer center in Europe. Doctors and researchers there work together to find better treatments and, hopefully one day, reach their goal of curing every child with cancer. A lot of this work also needs donations. Donations can help pay for things like new research and treatments, as well as programs that support children and their families during and after treatment. That’s why I’m starting Cans 4 Cancer. It’s really simple. If you have empty cans or bottles with statiegeld, instead of throwing them away, you can bring them to my collection box at school. I’ll return them, collect the statiegeld, and donate the money to the Prinses Máxima Centrum Foundation
I’ll also be holding a Cans 4 Cancer treats sale at every other ABF barbecue, which happens on the first Friday of every month,where the money I raise will go toward the same cause.One can might only be worth a few cents, but when our whole school joins in, all those cans can turn into something much bigger. So please save your cans, bring them in, and help me support children with cancer.
Thank you!