One of my favorite cancer
fighting efforts is Ependymoma Awareness day. That's the day when The CERN
Foundation releases a gazillion butterflies, bought butterfly by butterfly, as
a fund-raiser to support research to fight this deadly disease?
So what’s Ependymoma? Here’s
some Ependymoma Fast Facts
- An ependymoma is a rare type of primary brain or spinal cord tumor
- An ependymoma is a rare type of glial tumor; glial cells are the supportive cells of the brain
- Primary brain and spinal cord tumors are those that start in the central nervous system (CNS)
- These tumors are classified and graded according to their appearance when viewed through the microscope
- Ependymomas can be found in children and adults
While the facts are
enlightening, I also find them somewhat dry.
So I went to the “inspiration” section of the CERN Foundation website - http://www.cern-foundation.org/Content.aspx?id=528
– and read some very human, especially touching and particularly poignant stories about kids and adults
fighting a seemingly relentless, horrible disease. Spoiler alert: these aren’t dry facts. They
are moist-eye stories: stories with heart, stories about brave kids and
parents, and far too many stories with sad endings.
Why butterflies?
As the CERN Foundation
spokesperson said last year, “To represent renewal, inspiration and hope.”
If you pledged last year,
please renew your pledge again this
year. I have.
Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_8925670_a-beautiful-monarch-butterfly-with-vibrant-color-feeding-on-a-lantana-bloom.html'>cheryledavis / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
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