Childhood Cancer Awareness

UNM’s comprehensive pediatric oncology team is here to guide children in the quest for a cure.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Childhood cancer is the No. 1 cause of death by disease for children in the United States.

Nationwide, one in 8 children who are diagnosed with cancer will not survive and every year about 100 children in New Mexico are diagnosed with cancer. Pediatric cancer does not discriminate; it affects all races, ethnicities and socioeconomic levels, and reaches all four corners of our beautiful state.

Children with cancer undergo difficult and challenging treatments. These life-saving therapies lead young patients to miss school and important childhood events. Often, they may spend holidays and birthdays in the hospital. But, children are strong and they are resilient. They are born fighters - and those with cancer are engaged in the fight for their lives.

The University of New Mexico is the state's only pediatric cancer treatment center recognized by the National Cancer Institute's Children's Oncology Group. UNM's comprehensive pediatric oncology team is here to guide these children in the quest for a cure.

UNM helps to keep our families close to home by providing cutting-edge treatments here in Albuquerque, and cares for children throughout New Mexico. UNM's ongoing efforts in treatment and research will hopefully lead to the day when no parent has to hear the words, "Your child has cancer."