SOLEDAD — August is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the City Council of Soledad honored Jacob’s Heart at its Aug. 2 meeting.
“I am an 11-year survivor, and Jacob’s Heart was part of my life when I was going through my cancer,” said Teen Family Support Specialist Mariana Medina. “And, we’ve been surviving four counties for 19 years.”
According to the city proclamation, 42 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer and more than 40,000 children undergo treatment for cancer each year. It is the leading cause of death by disease among children beating out asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and AIDS combined.
Families of children with cancer in the City of Soledad receive essential services from Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, a local organization that has gained national awards and recognition for improving the quality of life for hundreds of local children with cancer and thousands of family members.
The Oncology Department at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford has worked closely with Jacob’s Heart for the past 19 years as a trusted community partner and provides family-centered care toward emotional, practical and financial struggles of families of children with cancer in Soledad.
