Cancer Survivors Month is a time to honor survivors who’ve fought to overcome this disease. It is also a reminder of how urgently we must improve access to screening tools.
After our 3-year-old daughter, Charlie, was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, we found the world of childhood cancer research. We met brilliant doctors and researchers working with tireless dedication and hope to improve outcomes for children, but also a system in desperate need of support.
Charlie’s courageous journey included two trials that dramatically improved her quality of life and offered the possibility of better outcomes for children facing similar diagnoses. That experience showed us what research can mean for families: more options, more time, and the chance to benefit from advances that would not otherwise exist.
That is why advances in early detection are so important. Nearly half of all cancer deaths come from cancers diagnosed at Stage IV. New multi-cancer early detection (MCED) screenings can identify more than 50 cancers in the early stages from a simple blood draw. This includes many of the deadliest cancers with no routine screenings, which are often detected only after they have spread and become more difficult to treat.
A recent study found that when MCED tests were added to recommended screenings, four times as many cancers were detected. Stage IV diagnoses fell by twenty percent. This evidence shows we do not have to choose between today’s resources and tomorrow’s progress.
Behind every diagnosis is a family hoping for more time. To honor survivors and ensure more patients become survivors, we must keep expanding access to the tools that will catch cancer earlier.
– Emily Stenson
The Stenson Foundation
www.stensonfoundation.com
The Stenson Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 organization
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