September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the Mighty Millie Foundation has been busy raising awareness about the needs of families battling childhood cancer. We could not do this without the incredible support of our business sponsors, who are changing the world through their advocacy and fundraising. To all our Shine Gold Business Sponsors: Thank you! YOU are changing the world.

Why Childhood Cancer Needs Advocacy

Every year, around 15,780 children receive a cancer diagnosis and begin the difficult journey of treatment. That means every three minutes, a family hears this devastating news. Worse yet, cancer diagnoses are on the rise over the last 40 years, as much as 35% in some cases. Sadly, treatment options have made little progress, with only 4% of the national cancer research budget used for childhood cancer. Learn more about the national movement for better treatments for childhood cancer.

That’s why our Shine Gold Sponsors are so important. These amazing businesses are standing in the gap for these children and families. Each sponsor business has a unique story about what inspired them to contribute. Perhaps the leadership knew a family affected by childhood cancer, or their child had a friend and was inspired to become involved. Or they were at a fundraiser and were moved by the stories of families impacted by childhood cancer. Whatever the starting point, these businesses knew they had to do something to spark change. They knew that the status quo was unacceptable. They took action, and we applaud their advocacy.

Businesses Fighting Childhood Cancer

With support from Shine Gold Business Sponsors, the Mighty Millie Foundation is able to spread joy to children undergoing treatment by providing popsicles. The tremendous growth of this project would not be possible without our sponsors’ support. In 2021, we delivered our first shipment of 400 popsicles to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In July 2023, that number grew to 50,000 GoodPop Organic Freezer Pops delivered to 50 hospitals. Today that number is 127,000 freezer pops delivered to 118 hospitals or treatment cancer centers. These popsicles are mood-lifters for the mighty children battling cancer.

With the help of our Shine Gold Business Sponsors, we can also support new research for less toxic, more effective treatments. For example, we have granted $50,000 to Beat Childhood Cancer’s IN:Formation project, a ground-breaking personalized, gene-based approach to treating childhood cancers. This exciting research shifts medical care from a cancer-centered approach to a child-centered approach with tailored, less toxic treatments customized for each child’s unique cancer. We cannot tell you how vital changes like this are for families battling childhood cancer. Parents must have more options, and no parent should ever hear, “There are no more options.”

Ways You Can Show Your Support

You can view all the Shine Gold Business Sponsors and their campaigns on Givebutter. If you are familiar with these businesses, please thank them for their generous efforts and consider contributing to their campaigns. If you are unfamiliar with these businesses, consider visiting them in the future. They are community-minded leaders with pure hearts. They are change makers who answered the call to fight childhood cancer.

Together, forever, we fight childhood cancer. Together, we can change the world. 🎗️