46. That is the number of children in the U.S. who are diagnosed with cancer, every day. 46 families that have had their world turned upside down with one ugly word.
Most people do not know that statistic. Pediatric cancer seems “rare” to many people, because they have been fortunate enough to not have a loved one with that diagnosis.
With awareness, comes support through programs for the families to help them through this diagnosis and funding (public and private) for more research toward a cure, or at least kinder treatments so survivors have a brighter, healthier future.
On September 19, Angling for Relief and Krewe of the Nautilus will host the 1st annual 1Voice Foundation SAILute to Pediatric Cancer Awareness.
This event is a flotilla (water parade of boats for our landlubbers:) that will start around the Ballast Point Pier area and parade to Tampa General Hospital and back. The boats will be decorated in gold and some will even have the inaugural SAILute flag! The lead boat will be the gold water taxi, Captain Pat, thanks to Yacht StarShip and will be carrying VIPs, including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, our title sponsor Northwestern Mutual of Tampa, and kids with cancer and their families, socially distancing of course. We have Captains that will be bringing several pediatric cancer families leading the parade.
The mission of this flotilla is multifaceted. Here is what we are seeking to achieve:
*Bring Childhood Cancer Awareness to our community
*Celebrate survivors and those still in the fight, along with the families and healthcare workers who fight with them
* Honor those who have lost their lives to pediatric cancer
*Show support to everyone at TGH, patients and healthcare workers (they are all looking forward to this “happy” as they call it:))
*Finally, just to bring the community together
We are recruiting the community to join us by boat, or by land to show support. Please plan to join us by boat or on land along the channel, spread the word, and/or donate to pediatric cancer research. Every little bit helps to bring awareness, support the kiddos and to bring better treatments!
It takes a village…..we are so happy to have you in our village!
#FishingIsRelief
