MAHONING VALLEY Kids Coins for Cancer fund-raiser under way

About 9,100 children under age 15 in the United States were diagnosed with cancer in 2002.
The Mahoning Valley American Cancer Society's 2003 Kids Coins for Cancer Campaign is under way in 21 schools in Mahoning County through the end of January.
Kids Coins is a fund-raiser in which pupils collect contributions from families and friends for the local American Cancer Society. The money is used for cancer research, education and quality-of-life programs.
All pupils from participating schools receive information about Generation Fit, a program about nutrition and physical activity for people ages 11 to 18.
Target gift certificates of $25, $75 and $100 will go to the top three pupil fund-raisers, respectively. A bowling party from A Plus Family Bowling and pizza from Wedgwood Pizza will be awarded to the top three classes, and the top three schools will receive a plaque.
Chairmen of this year's campaign are James Carchedi, principal of Austintown Watson; Edward P. Kempers, principal of Poland McKinley; and Catherine Wigley, principal of St. Luke's.
Statistics
About 9,100 children under age 15 in the United States were diagnosed with cancer in 2002, according to ACS. Because of significant advances in therapy, 77 percent of these children will survive five years or more, an increase of almost 45 percent since the early 1960s. Death rates have declined 50 percent since 1973.
However, cancer is still the leading cause of death (an estimated 1,400 deaths in 2002) from disease in children under 15, second only to accidents in most age groups.
For more information about the campaign or childhood cancer, call the American Cancer Society at (330) 533-0546 or toll free at (888) 227-6446.