Sam playing the cello.
Twenty-year-old Sam is a Renaissance man – an accomplished musician, pilot, and philanthropist. He’s also a three-time shavee, childhood cancer survivor, and 2024 St. Baldrick’s Ambassador who is committed to making a difference in the lives of other kids with cancer.
Are you ready to make a meaningful impact in the fight against childhood cancer? The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is calling on you to join the 25-Mile Walk Challenge, a virtual fundraiser that aims to raise critical funds for lifesaving childhood cancer research. Lace up your sneakers, gather your friends and family, and let’s walk together to help accelerate the next 25 years of cures for kids with cancer!
Ambassador Scott and the many pill bottles he went through during treatment.
Scott is a cheerful, hardworking 15-year-old who enjoys football, hanging out with friends, and traveling. His acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) diagnosis at age 3 was a complete shock to his family, especially since he seemed healthy and never even had a sick visit to the pediatrician.
Since he was diagnosed as a toddler, he couldn’t fully understand that by the time he finished treatment 3 ½ years later, he would take more than 1,500 pills, have blood transfusions and countless spinal taps, unpleasant nebulized antibiotic treatments for immunosuppression, and spend more than half of his life on chemo.
College essays can be written about a lot of topics and Billy chose to write it about how seeing his friend go through grief inspired him to want to make a difference for kids with cancer. His essay was written in spring of 2019 and he attended Coastal Carolina University from September 2020 through December 2022, working toward a business degree. He paused his studies at Coastal Carolina University to work towards his Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) Associate credentials, where he provides golf instructions, works with the youth golf clinic, and experiences the business aspect of the golf world. Now, Billy is ready to continue his college coursework and will soon be taking online courses to achieve his degree in business.
Billy (middle) with the event organizers of the Annual Brave the Shave In Memory of Joey Sudo Event in 2019, Tom Suit (left) and Tom Crawford (right).
Ambassador Julianna rocking a very cute outfit.
Julianna (a.k.a. Juju) is always on the go. This five-year-old is obsessed with Jack Sparrow, loves swimming, bike riding, dancing, baby dolls, dressing up, playing doctor, school, and church, especially worship music. She expends her energy at dance and cheer camp, and is excited to start gymnastics soon. Above all she cherishes time with her mom and dad, Courtney and Ryan, and big brothers, Hayden and Colbe.
Aaron and his guitar.
Resilient, positive, and determined are a few words that describe 16-year-old Aaron. These traits served him well through his battle with cancer and continue to guide his life today.
When he was 4, Aaron stopped walking. An MRI revealed the cause – a tumor on his spine. His mom, Beth, recalls, “They didn’t wake him up between the MRI and surgery. I remember whispering in his ear that if he made it though, he would get a puppy.” Surgery successfully removed 90% of the tumor. A few days later, his family received the official diagnosis – Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer.
Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. That means 25,000 kids around the world will hear the words “you have cancer” this month alone.
But there’s hope. Did you know that the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants in the world?
We are inviting you to join us. Your corporation and its employees can help fund lifesaving research, wherever it takes place, so kids can lead long and healthy lives.
Here are 7 easy ways your business can Conquer Kids’ Cancer.
St. Baldrick’s Ambassadors represent the more than 400,000 kids worldwide who are diagnosed with cancer each year. Ambassadors come from diverse geographic areas, ages, diseases, and treatment statuses. Their stories highlight the importance of supporting the best childhood cancer research so all kids diagnosed can live long, healthy, productive, and happy lives.
Every child is so much more than a cancer diagnosis. Each has their own unique personality, gifts, and talents. Read on to learn more about these remarkable kids.
“I wasn’t a childhood cancer parent, until I was. Childhood cancer instantly changes your life and disorients you the second you hear an oncologist say the words ‘Your child has cancer.’ This is a time where you feel your absolute weakest, but you must be your strongest. Navigating the world after diagnosis is uncharted. There is no handbook to life with a child fighting cancer, so I’ve asked 10 childhood cancer moms from around the world what tips they would give to newly diagnosed families and this is what they shared.” – Monica Padilla, founder of The Bad Luck Moms Club
We are thrilled to announce $1.1 million in new grants to bolster pediatric cancer clinical trial enrollment. Clinical trials play a crucial role in the fight against childhood cancer. The unsung heroes who help make clinical trials happen for kids are the dedicated clinical research associates, nurses, and support staff.
This $1.1 million supports these necessary roles to ensure more kids get treated on a clinical trial, often their best hope for a cure.
Without your support, these grants would not be possible. Thank you for your generosity and passion to Conquer Kids’ Cancer.
The following institutions were awarded a St. Baldrick’s Foundation Infrastructure award:
St. Baldrick’s Foundation
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