馃 May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month: Why We Need to Talk About DIPG
Every year, hundreds of families around the world receive one of the most devastating diagnoses that exist: DIPG. In May, the world comes together to raise awareness about brain tumors and demand more research and support for affected families. From Chile, the Fundaci贸n Santino Pizarro Carrizo joins this cause with an invitation to be part of the change.
A Month to Raise Awareness
May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month. Around the world, organizations, families and communities mobilize during these weeks to educate, raise awareness and fund research into brain tumors, including DIPG, one of the most aggressive and least known pediatric tumors.
This year, the Fundaci贸n Santino Pizarro Carrizo joins that global wave with a clear message: talking about DIPG is urgent. Because the more people know about this disease, the faster we can build a real support network for the families facing it in Chile and across Latin America.
Numbers We Need to Know
DIPG is not a common disease, but its numbers hit incredibly hard. In the United States alone, approximately 300 children are diagnosed with DIPG every year. Globally, it represents between 10 and 15% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors, with a devastating prognosis: median survival is less than one year, the two-year survival rate is below 10%, and the five-year survival rate is less than 1%.
In Latin America, the picture is equally concerning. In 2020, 2,585 new cases of pediatric brain tumors were recorded across the region, with Brazil, Mexico and Colombia reporting the highest numbers.
In Chile, central nervous system tumors are the second most common type of childhood cancer in the country. DIPG is the most frequent brainstem tumor in children, typically occurring between the ages of 5 and 10.
A Diagnosis Without Answers in Chile
One of the factors that makes DIPG especially cruel is not only its aggressiveness, but the void that exists to face it in our country. In Chile there is no available treatment, no established protocols and no access to clinical trials. This means that every Chilean family that receives this diagnosis faces a race against time largely alone, often searching for alternatives in Spain or the United States, currently the only countries where experimental clinical trials are available.
How You Can Help This May
There are concrete, accessible ways to join this cause from wherever you are:
馃А Become a member or donate
Financial support allows the Fundaci贸n Santino Pizarro Carrizo to fund travel and living expenses for children and their families at international oncology centers, while continuing to build a real support network in Chile. Every contribution, no matter the size, goes directly to those who need it most. You can donate at fundacionspc.org/en/donations
馃摬 Follow us on social media
Throughout May, the foundation will be sharing information, stories and data about DIPG. Following our accounts and sharing this content is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to amplify the message. One share could reach exactly the person who needs this information!
馃挰 Talk about this in your circles
Awareness starts with a conversation. Tell your family, friends and colleagues what DIPG is and why it matters to make it visible. Silence is the worst ally of rare diseases.
For Those Who Are Gone and Those Who Fight Today
Santino, Laurita, Bel茅n, Megan, Florencia and so many other children who bravely faced DIPG in Chile remind us every day why this cause cannot wait and why it needs as much support as possible. Their stories did not end with their passing, they live on in every family we walk alongside.
This May, join this聽fight. 馃А DIPG cannot wait. Help us make it visible. Help us act.
For more information, donations or to contact the foundation, visit fundacionspc.org/en and follow us on our social media channels.