Donate to Cure a Children

Nahjila Price

English 101

Professor Newhouse

09 October 2016

                                        Donate to cure a children  

        Did you know almost every day 43 children have been diagnosed with cancer? “Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children” (National Cancer Istitute). The children cancer advertisements pops up in our society usually early in the morning or late at night; often shows the harmful effect cancer has on children and their families through the vivid description the children give. The advertisement I chose is the ST. Jude children research hospital TV spot, “fighting cancer”. It shows and tells what many children goes through while they have cancer, like the children going into an MRI machine and them spending many days in a hospital; also, how you should donate to help save a child life. This advertisement uses the three rhetorical appeals logos, ethos, and pathos through its vivid imagery and implied meanings.  Through this ST. Jude commercial it is able to convince us, the viewer, to donate and understand how deadly cancer is to children.  

        The commercial was created to subdue a response from parents with and without sick children. With the parents who do not have sick children, the commercial increase the impression of making those parents feel bad for the sick children; or it will make them not feel any type of remorse because it will have little to no effect on their lives. It will appeal to people who serious want to help and make a difference in the world and help those sick kids. Doctor and people who help sick kids; believe that this commercial will appeal to parents without sick kids, will somehow convince them to donate, but this will probably not happen. To parents with sick kids, the commercial will be a reminder of the harmful effect cancer have on their bodies. But for the most part, the commercial will make many people feel indifferent because many people already know the effects cancer has on their health. But people will not continue to donate because either they don’t care or they don’t have the money to donate to the situation. They may find the ad to be obnoxious because they see it as being repetitive. Because cancer has a terrible effect on kids and many kids have a great effect society; they may contradict themselves that those kids will be okay.

The first rhetorical appeal, logo, is used in the commercial. The main thing is that cancer effects children in a bad way. According to The National Cancer Institute (NIH), “In 2014, it is estimated that 15,780 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 years will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,960 will die of the disease in the United States”. Unlike the pass where cancer didn’t effect adolescents as much as it affects adults. The minor premise is that cancer kills children and it like beating a child every day until they die. From the general knowledge of the harmful effect cancer has, and the image of beating a child to death every day; we can infer that the claim of the commercial is making that cancer the abuser. This claim is promoted by the kids and the parents in the commercial, when you see the kids with sudden infections, bleeding, swollen and tender abdomen, and many other things constantly for days at a time (Sign of childhood cancer). Which encourage people to help donated money so they can do they research to find a cure for childhood cancer. This indicates that if people don’t donate to find a cure, it like helping beating a kid to death.

The second rhetorical appeal, is ethos; also, it influences viewer who watch the commercial. The ST. Jude foundation isn’t known in other foreign countries, but it is every known here in the United States. However, viewers can conclude the way the kids and their families feel, and the credibility through the commercial. The audience can conclude that the ST. Jude is trying to encourage people to donate for a cure because they made a commercial with kids. It paints a picture that if you don’t donate money to St. Jude than you must not want the kids to live. Well it at least, the people who don’t care about their lives. People who believe children shouldn’t have to go through that pain will connect more; also, will believe them more because they agree more eagerly with wanting to help the kids. Because many people have never been to St. Jude it is difficult to completely know how credible they are, but what helps is seeing the kids suffering and seeing the family hurt and crying. America view is strongly strong agree with St. Jude that it is increase health risks and can also lead to death “who are told their child has cancer feel completely devastated. At first it can be difficult to come to terms with and try to understand how this will impact the whole family. There may be moments when people can feel numb and don’t believe what is happening. Painful emotions of anger, sadness, guilt, fear and denial are all common and normal feelings of parents who have been told their child has cancer” (cancervic.org). It gives an unnoticeably positive view on cancer; it brings many families together. Which something like that shouldn’t bring a family together. People may see them as more believable if they let one of the children tell part of their story and it might be more effective. However, with the children story put into the commercial many people may it as “overly forward”.