St. Baldrick’s Foundation Announces 2016 Ambassadors

Kids and families raise awareness of the critical need for childhood cancer research

LOS ANGELES (January 5, 2016) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research, proudly announces its five 2016 Ambassadors who represent the more than 175,000 kids diagnosed with cancer each year worldwide. The Ambassadors and their families will attend St. Baldrick’s fundraising events, participate in interviews and provide the public with an in depth look into their lives. The St. Baldrick’s Ambassadors’ goal is to raise awareness for all childhood cancers and the need to find cures and treatments that are as unique as every child diagnosed.

St. Baldrick’s Ambassadors highlight different ages, disease types, locations and are in varying stages of their journey with cancer. They serve as a reminder that childhood cancers don’t discriminate and that one in five kids diagnosed in the U.S. will not survive.

Alyssa Zoll, 13, from SeaTac, Wash., was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma just before her eleventh birthday in 2013. After nearly a year of treatment, consisting of five surgeries, 115 doses of chemo, nine blood transfusions, seven platelet transfusions and more than 68 nights spent in the hospital, Alyssa shows no evidence of disease. Her treatment plan has been reduced to scans and labs every three months. Alyssa is a girls’ girl, and loves fashion and nail art, with her favorite musical artists being One Direction and Taylor Swift.

Cheyenne Dyess, 10, from Falcon, Colo., is currently undergoing treatment for T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma which includes a total of 24, 28-day cycles of chemotherapy. Since the beginning of treatment, Cheyenne has had nothing but a fighting, positive spirit. Her approach to cancer is to “fight like a girl!” Cheyenne enjoys swimming, playing the flute and spending time with her family.

Isaac Parris, 10, from Montgomery, Ill., was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in 2011, just after finishing kindergarten. Even through brain surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, Isaac was known as the kid with a smile. He became an inspiration to other families going through similar journeys; his smiling face gives parents hope for their own children. Isaac is now in the fifth grade and shows no evidence of disease. This April, Isaac will shave his head for the fourth time at their local St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event, organized by his family.

Phineas Sandi, 7, from Chapel Hill, N.C., loves fast cars, Legos and Monster Trucks. In 2013, Phineas was diagnosed with chemo-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL,) six years after his sister died from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Phineas participated in an immunotherapy trial, supported by St. Baldrick’s, and within a month, he was free of leukemia. He underwent a bone marrow transplant to ensure he remains in remission, and two years later, he is still cancer free.

Holden Gilkinson, forever 6, from Mason, Ohio, was diagnosed with cancer three times during his short life. Despite the hand that was dealt to him, Holden lived large and loved every minute of life; he enjoyed playing baseball, riding the bus and playing video games. The common thread throughout the years of Holden’s life was that he did not let cancer get in his way; he truly enjoyed the simple pleasures of just being a kid. To honor their son’s memory and to continue the fight for all children diagnosed with cancer, Holden’s parents started the St. Baldrick’s Invictus Hero Fund.

To learn how you can get involved visit www.StBaldricks.org, and connect with St. Baldrick’s on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Vimeo.

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
As the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation believes that kids are special and deserve to be treated that way. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to innovative explorers who bring with them the promise of a future free from childhood cancers. Kids need treatments as unique as they are – and that starts with funding research just for them. Join us at StBaldricks.org to help support the best cancer treatments for kids.

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