With the number of children diagnosed with cancer growing significantly since 1975, Barry A. Cik, Board-Certified Environmental Engineer, Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, insists that the elimination of toxic chemicals from children’s surroundings is a critical step to prevent non-hereditary childhood cancer. New data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiologic End Results Program revealed the upward tendency of childhood cancer rates, which indicates a significant increase of 41 percent (annual percent change of 0.8%) in 2018.
In September 2020, a report from the Childhood Cancer: Cross-Sector Strategies for Prevention sounded the alarm when it presented the results of their findings, which showed that between 1975 and 2017, the incidence rates of cancer among those under age 20 increased by 34 percent. This year, from September 20-24th, and as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, leaders and participating organizations of the Childhood Cancer Prevention Initiative (CCPI)will join a series of conferences to examine the latest data, health and science around pesticides, cancer cure and prevention, as well as actions and solutions to prevent cancers in children’s environments.
Cik, who has been at the forefront of eliminating toxic chemicals from mattresses and bedding products for over 15 years, has decades of experience investigating and assessing hazardous materials and environmental problems that impact human health, safety, and the environment. He will participate in the CCPI panel session: The Role of Businessin Childhood Cancer Prevention, on Thursday, September 23rd at 2 pm, and will address his views on toxic chemicals in children and the role of business in childhood cancer prevention.
“To make a difference, everybody needs to ditch the chemicals from food, air, soil, and consumer products to prevent the risk of cancer and other serious conditions,” Cik sustains. He also argues that “we need to test the excessive amount of chemicals out there adequately, and guarantee that manufacturers don’t substitute banned or questionable substances for other substances that may be just as damaging, but technically legal, and then mislabel them as ‘natural’ or ‘eco.'”
The CCPI anniversary week of events will include the following sessions:
- Monday, September 20, 12:30 pm ET – Childhood Cancer Prevention Update – 1 Year Later
- Tuesday, September 21, 12 pm ET – Childhood Cancer Community Webinar: CCPI One Year Later
- Tuesday, September 21, 2 pm ET – Pesticides
- Thursday, September 23, 1 pm ET – Breaking the Mold in Cancer Cure and Prevention
- Thursday, September 23, 2 pm ET – The Role of Business in Childhood Cancer Prevention
- Friday, September 24, 2 pm – 3:30 pm ET – Communities Taking Action
Although fewer children are dying of cancer nowadays than in the past, therate of children being diagnosed with cancer has increased. Furthermore, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease past infancy among children in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute, estimating that 15,590 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2021, while 1,780 will die of the disease.
To register for the week of events sessions, click here
For media inquiries, please contact Giselle Chollett at [email protected] or 917.86.7116.
About BARRY A. CIK, PE, CP, BCEE, QEP, CHMM, CDFE, REM:
Barry A. Cik is the Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, a manufacturer of award-winning certified organic and non-toxic mattresses for babies, children and adults. As a professionally trained Board-Certified Environmental Engineer, Barry combines his authentic passion for improving our quality of life with the technical knowledge to do so. His devotion to the organic industry is the natural result of his lifelong interest in preserving the environment not only for us, but for all future generations as well. He is an advocate for legislative reform, and was invited to testify in Washington, D.C. for a congressional subcommittee hearing exploring chemical reform. Barry frequently speaks before scientific, consumer, political and business audiences on the benefits of sustainable product design.
SOURCE Naturepedic