Childhood Cancer

Meet 2024 Ambassador Aaron: A Huge Fan of Queen, Guitar, Lionel Messi, and Giving Back

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
January 8, 2024

Aaron smiling from ear to ear with his guitar.

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.

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Childhood Cancer

Meet 2023 Ambassador Hanna: A Lesson in Rising Above the Storm

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
January 17, 2023

Life can be unfair. Curveballs, challenges, and heartaches do not discriminate. Even for the nicest people you know. 

But there’s a popular quote that promises, “rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine.” 

Meet Hanna. She has embodied this quote for 29 years, rising above the unfair hand she was dealt to feel the sunshine on her face. 

Meet Hanna (no extra “h” at the end please). 

Photo of Hanna

Hanna

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Do What You Want

Buckets for St. Baldrick’s

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
April 5, 2022

By Sir Bodie Centore, Knight of the Bald Table, now age 17

My Buckets for St. Baldrick’s fundraiser, a 3v3 basketball tournament held in Syracuse, NY, raised over $10,000 for childhood cancer research on March 20th. While this event surpassed my fundraising goal, it also had an impact even more significant than anything I had experienced in 10 years of fundraising for St. Baldrick’s.

I became involved with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation 10 years ago after hearing about the local Syracuse, NY event at Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant from family and friends. I was intrigued, but as a 7-year-old, very nervous about having my head shaved. Earlier that year, I spent several days in the hospital with pneumonia. I didn’t understand cancer much then, I couldn’t even spell it, but I knew I hadn’t enjoyed my time at the hospital and I didn’t think kids should have to go through anything like that.

Bodie at his first shave with Emcee Chow DowneyBodie at his first shave with Emcee Chow Downey 

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Teens & Young Adults

2021 Ambassador Campbell: “Shining Through”

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
February 22, 2021

Our hearts are broken at the loss of Campbell, a 2021 St. Baldrick’s Ambassador. She died on February 22, 2021. Her mom, Gibby shared …

“Campbell Barrett Sullivan our absolute joy passed away this morning due to a brain hemorrhage brought on by CIC-DUX4 Sarcoma. We are absolutely broken-hearted, not sure how we will go on without her, but we will!

She brought so much passion and love to every day, whether it was sending cheer through a card, or in person, reaching out online, determined to advocate for other kids even when she felt the worst herself. There are days when she would open her eyes just to give an interview and be clear and passionate as ever just to fall asleep exhausted as soon as she was off the video call.

One thing she would want me to tell you is that cancer is NOT a win or lose battle and that is because no child chooses this fight. It’s not a competition and so you can’t lose to cancer. Campbell rose to this challenge and figured out a way to grow and spread joy and passion like ripples across the water.

Sitting in the hospital looking out the window I thought that’s what we will do, try to be a window for the light of Campbell to shine through. We love you all and she did too! Please be good to yourself and others.”

Campbell Skiing

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Teens & Young Adults

2021 Ambassador Alexa: Beautiful Soul

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
February 3, 2021

Beautiful soul. Positive thinker. People person. Seattle Seahawks fan. St. Baldrick’s supporter. Cancer survivor.

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Kids with Cancer

Undergoing Cancer Treatment During These Crazy Times

by Alyssa Greenwell
August 21, 2020

In 2017, I was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It was a shock. I immediately started my first of six rounds of chemotherapy. Every month, I would have to go inpatient for one week for treatment. Unfortunately, I relapsed two months after completing that. I then got a second opinion and did two clinical trials, and when those failed, I went on to Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) in New York. One trial failed, but the next finally got me to remission, allowing me to get a transplant.

girl smiling in Times Square

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Teens & Young Adults

Fear: The Realities of Life During Cancer Treatment

by Jake Teitelbaum
July 9, 2019

Editor’s Note: We’ve let Jake, the founder of Resilience Gives, tell us his experience of dealing with uncertainty during treatment.

Jake during treatment

After a few hours of watching carboplatin steadily drip into my bloodstream, I was relieved when my friend Alex poked her head around the corner of the oversized hospital room door. It was day three of my first inpatient stay since beginning my medical leave of absence, and Alex was the first non-family visitor. When she placed her hand beneath the Purell dispenser, I could see a game tucked underneath her arm.

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Childhood Cancer

Meet Georgia, St. Baldrick’s Newest League of Legendary Heroes Champion

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
January 25, 2019

The League of Legendary Heroes is an order of dedicated volunteers who’ve participated in St. Baldrick’s Foundation events for three or more years. Each year, St. Baldrick’s names a League Champion to lead and inspire this group to raise money for lifesaving childhood cancer research.

Georgia Moore, our newest League Champion of the League of Legendary Heroes, just celebrated her 19th birthday on Dec. 30. The following day, New Year’s Eve, marked nine years since Georgia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Photograph of 2019 League Champion Georgia Moore with her family at Tufts University.

Our 2019 League Champion, Georgia Moore (third from left), appears with her family at Tufts University.

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Childhood Cancer

How Your Donations Helped Zach Beat Childhood Cancer

by St. Baldrick's Foundation
December 11, 2018

Most six-year-old boys spend their time thinking about toys, candy and getting to school on time. Few need to worry about their health at such a young age, and even fewer face the uncertain future following a cancer diagnosis.

Fighting cancer was Zach’s world when he was six. In 2007, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL. Over the next four years, Zach underwent intense and physically demanding treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.

Zach before and after his immunotherapy clinical trial.

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Families

When a Child Dies of Cancer, What Should You Say? Here’s One Piece of Advice …

by Vicki Bunke
August 1, 2018

What should you say to someone whose loved one has died? Vicki Bunke has some simple advice that comes from heartbreaking experience — her 14-year-old daughter, Honored Kid Grace, died of bone cancer in March. Here’s what Vicki has to say …

Grace jumps into her mother's arms

Vicki’s daughter Grace grins and laughs in her mom’s arms. Grace was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when she was 11 years old and lost part of her leg to the disease. After her third relapse, she knew her disease was terminal but remained determined to experience everything life had to offer. Photo by Ashton Songer Photography

For 20 years, I have had the privilege of working as a school psychologist. I am honored to get up every morning and go to a job where I get to spend hour after hour interacting with young people. Sadly, this past spring, a young student who attended the high school where I work — and whom I loved dearly — died of osteosarcoma, a childhood bone cancer.

This student happened to be my 14-year-old daughter, Grace.

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