Sugar Does Not Cause Childhood Cancer and Your Opinion is Hurtful

About Fourth & Gold

Founded by Erin, Fourth & Gold officially became a 5013C non-profit organization in July 2022. Much of the team is lead by healthcare professionals that are on the frontlines of oncological practice, helping children and their families battle cancer everyday.

Donate Today

Shop to Find a Cure

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve read a non-childhood cancer patient or family member tell someone who IS affected by childhood cancer, to try some “miracle” cure, I’d have enough money to actually cure childhood cancer! Or I’d at least have more than the government gives (seriously, it’s not a lot).  

Things I’ve read or heard people telling families to use that will CURE their child

  • Eat/Smoke Marijuana
  • Drink Baking Soda
  • Drinking breast milk or adding it to food
  • Think Positive (seriously…)
  • “Just rub essential oils on the tumor spot”
  • “My (insert family member here) started eating organic and the leukemia disappeared!”
  • SO.MUCH.MORE 

NO. STOP IT. STOP telling parents and families remedies that they need to try. These families have done more research than slept, they’ve looked into EVERY remedy possible for their child and they would move MOUNTAINS if they could save their child. Telling a grieving family to try X,Y and Z isn’t being helpful. It’s HURTFUL. And it could take a family who is already in a very vulnerable state and put them in a dangerous state. 

As a pediatric oncology nurse, I’ve seen first hand what this does to families. It hurts them. It belittles them. It makes them question their parenting. A few weeks ago, I (regrettably) read a post that a family member of a friend wrote on a private forum (but was later screen shotted to the family). The baby is fighting for his life… his extended “family?” They’re worried about the pea size piece of frosting that was on his face while celebrating his birthday. “Why would you give him sugar if he has cancer… sugar causes cancer and he’s already so sick! I was wondering about them…” The mom was crushed… and rightfully so. Who are any of you to tell a mother of a sick child what they can and cannot eat? I literally want to jump through the screen every time I read a post of someone telling a mother or father that sugar causes cancer and basically that they’re terrible parents. 

Can I just scream this really really loud real quick? SUGAR DOES NOT CAUSE CHILDHOOD CANCER. CHILDHOOD CANCER CAUSES ARE… WAIT FOR IT… UNKNOWN. Childhood cancer doesn’t discriminate against any ethnic group, socioeconomic class or geographic region. It doesn’t matter if your child drank apple juice for 8 months straight or organic water straight from the waterfall. I don’t think any parent would CHOOSE to give their child chemotherapy and/or radiation if there was proof of a more non-toxic treatment providing better results.

So please. Next time you think about telling a family something they should do to “cure” or “prevent” childhood cancer… please think twice. Whether your intentions are wonderful or spiteful… it doesn’t help. It hurts.  These families I have the pleasure of working with everyday? They’re the strongest people I know. They pull strength from places they didn’t even know existed. They need love and support… not criticism. Next time you see a beautiful bald headed child eating a donut… just smile. It could be the first bite they’ve taken of food in weeks. We celebrate that. 

So next time you’re wondering what you can do to help? Advocate for the government to give more than 4% of all research funding to childhood cancer and give back to foundations that provide their own research. Put more effort into researching and fundraising versus googling a “cure” that truly doesn’t exist. That DOES help. 

#MoreThan4 #NotRare

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

7 Responses

  1. Thank you, Erin for speaking up for families like my own and especially for the wonderful profession that you have chosen ❤️❤️

    1. Please Facebook search Amy Largent and her daughter Julia Adams. There is a 2 yo girl right now in PA that is a real miracle. In a coma with only “Days to live”, and only pain meds in January 2019, Julia is awake today. She is just finished round 9 of chemo. I am not a believer of religion, but before this little girl I wasn’t even a believer in anything. Was it the CBD & THC? Was it a God or Gods? It certainly wasn’t the morphine. But something brought this child back. Her cancer had CRUSHED her brain stem encircling it and just squeezed it into nothing. Read her story. Julia’s mother Amy updates about her everyday. And while you’re at it keep this sweet little warrior in your thoughts. It certainly doesn’t hurt!
      CJ Skorpion

    1. Stop. Just… stop. Sugar is also the food for every cell in your body and for your brain. Your body converts food into sugars that the cells use for power. You are just being knowingly and obstinately hurtful.

    2. Stop. Just… stop. Sugar is the fuel for every cell in your body and for your brain. Your body converts the food you eat into sugars for that purpose. Yes, too much sugar can contribute to obesity in adults which can increase their chances of developing cancer. But NO ONE knows what causes childhood cancers. You are being intentionally and malignantly hurtful.