What’s a Kidvocate?

It’s just like an advocate, only better! Why? An advocate is someone that does something to support a cause, in our case, helping unravel pediatric cancer. What makes a Kidvocate so special is that it’s kids just like you helping save other kids.

There’s only one rule for being a kidvocate – you must be a kid.
Not a kid? No worries! We have some ideas for adults too!

What is Cancer?

Every part of our bodies is made of tiny little cells. They are so tiny you can’t see them with your eyes alone. When we’re healthy, our cells grow and make more cells. Cancer is when some cells are not growing normally and they don’t stop growing. Sometimes these cancer cells make a lump in our bodies that shouldn’t be there. Or they make part of our bones or blood not work like it should.

When kids get cancer it is because the wrong cells get wacky in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is NOT the child’s fault. Cancer didn’t happen because of anything they did. Its just bad luck.

Cancer is not contagious. It’s not like the flu or a bad tummy bug. You don’t get cancer by talking, hugging or playing with a friend that has cancer.

Did you know?

• Cancer makes kids really sick and so do the medicines used to treat it. You might have seen that people lose their hair while fighting cancer, BUT did you know that’s from the medicine and not the cancer?
• In the past 20 years only 4 new drugs have been approved in first instance for pediatric cancer use.  In contrast, in 2012 alone, 23 drugs were approved for adults.
• In the United States more kids die from cancer than any other disease! It’s 7 kids a day
• 43 kids a day are told they have a sickness called cancer.
• Kids cancer does not get a lot of money for new information. The government only gives kids 4 pennies of every $1 for kids cancer.
• Have you heard of Relay for Life? They only give kids cancer 1 penny of every dollar people raise! That’s why its so important to find out where the money you raise goes.

How to be a Kidvocate

Think of something you can do to help fundraise or spread the glitter. The best part of being a kidvocate is you get to come up with your own idea of how you want to do this! You make the rules.

Get started!

Have an idea ready to go? Great! Here’s what to do next.

• • Plan your event. We have pictures on our website you can print to use for your kidvocate event! Find them here.
  • Let us know about your event. We can add it to our event calendar! Send us an e-mail with the details!
  • E-mail us with any questions and don’t forget to take pictures!

Check out our kidvocate hall of fame!

Every single child that fights for and with Unravel saves others kids.. and they save me..
– Libby Kranz