Central Florida Community Unites in Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Orlando, FL, September 02, 2014 --(PR.com)-- A group of passionate parents, professionals, and community leaders have united to challenge the nation to whip childhood cancer in honor of September being National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The movement known as Whipping Childhood Cancer was the collaborative brainchild of several Central Florida parents whose children have battled or are battling pediatric cancer, local community leaders, and passionate professionals all united in the fight against pediatric cancer.

It is estimated that in the U.S. alone, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer everyday, and 7 children die. The odds of a child developing cancer by the age of 18 is 1 in 285. With 1 in 5 children not surviving. The majority of those that do survive five years or more, will suffer lifelong complications due to treatment. And in the past 40 years, only 2 new treatment drugs have been developed to fight pediatric cancer. The National Cancer Institute allocates less than 4% of its budget for research to pediatric cancer.

In an effort to raise much needed awareness for pediatric cancer, the Whipping Childhood Cancer Challenge, which was inspired by the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is throwing down the gauntlet for people to stand up and be a voice for the estimated 16,000 children that will be diagnosed this year alone. The group developed a website (www.WhippingChildhoodCancer.com), and Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/WhippingChildhoodCancer) that has garnered more than 16,000 followers from all over the world in less than two weeks leading up to the launch of the challenge. On the website they have listed out dozens of reputable childhood cancer charities that one may donate to, covering a multitude of areas of focus, including research, financial aid, and patient enrichment. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, the Orlando City Soccer Club, and many other local and national celebrities have committed to the challenge.

The challenge is simple; Take a whipped cream (or shaving cream) pie to the face for childhood cancer. The challenge states that the challenged individual has 46 hours to complete the challenge and if completed to donate $7 to a childhood cancer charity of their choice, and then in turn challenge 7 others to participate. If unable to complete the challenge, they are asked to donate $46 to a childhood cancer charity of their choice. Individuals challenged are asked to film their challenge, and share it on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #WhippingChildhoodCancer.