CammersTough is more than just a mantra—it represents the resilience, strength, and spirit of a truly remarkable boy. It honors Camden, affectionately known as “Cam” or “Cammers”, who fought cancer valiantly for many years. Through relentless cancer and heartbreaking setbacks, Cam faced his adversity with both grace and perseverance - never once uttering the words “why me?” His courage was deeply inspiring to all who knew him…demonstrating what it truly means to be CammersTough.

Cam’s cancer journey began at age 3 when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in February 2017. He was immediately pulled from preschool, separated from his baby brother Garrett, and began intensive treatment at Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO). After over a year of hospital visits and chemotherapy, Cam achieved remission and moved to maintenance treatment. However, in September 2018, routine bloodwork revealed abnormal results. What initially appeared to be a relapse of ALL was instead a far more serious diagnosis—secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rare and aggressive cancer requiring a bone marrow transplant for any chance of survival.

Cam’s AML treatment was nothing short of grueling. After his bone marrow transplant in January 2019, he spent nearly a year in the hospital battling severe Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD), a common risk of a transplant where the body’s cells attack the donor’s cells. A violent rash covered his skin, and his intestines became so enflamed he couldn’t eat for months. Sustained only by IV nutrition, Cam endured tremendous pain, hunger, and eventually stomach surgery to save his life. Though cancer-free, he was now dealing with a different battle entirely.

Through it all, Cam’s parents, Drew and Meg, faced agonizing decisions as their world was turned upside down. They juggled time between Cam in the hospital and Garrett at home. With the compassion of the nurses and doctors from BCHO’s 5 South floor, Cam and his parents found the strength they needed to get through the most heart-breaking times. It was in those darkest moments where they witnessed something extraordinary: Cam’s unbreakable will to fight. Time and again, he defied the odds with a spirit that personified the CammersTough name.

Three years after Cam’s first bone marrow transplant—just as the relentless grip of GVHD had begun to loosen—he relapsed. It was devastating not just because the cancer had returned, but because it meant starting the fight all over. Cam faced the unthinkable: another round of grueling treatment, another transplant, and worsening odds. After multiple rounds of unsuccessful chemotherapy, the family relocated to St. Louis for a promising clinical trial. Though far from home, the experience brought unexpected solace. They found precious time together as a family and a renewed sense of hope that this new treatment for AML could finally be the answer.

Although the trial didn’t bring Cam into remission, it worked well enough to make him eligible for another bone marrow transplant - which was still his best chance of surviving AML. In June 2022 Cam returned to Oakland to prepare for his second bone marrow transplant—knowing all too well the pain, risk, and uncertainty that came with it. This time, he was returning to the fight with the fierce wisdom of someone who had endured it all before.

Through every setback, Cam never lost his toughness nor his positive attitude. He met pain with resilience, uncertainty with humor, and fear with a kindness that permeated around him. His smile was magnetic—dignified, albeit somewhat mischievous, and far more frequent than you'd expect from a child who had endured so much. He even smiled as he returned to the hospital for his second transplant, throwing open the doors of the oncology unit and announcing, “the boy is back!”

But even the toughest warriors sometimes face an enemy that can’t be overcome. Just 100 days after his second transplant, Cam relapsed for the final time. On December 16, 2022, after six years of fighting leukemia, Cam passed away at the age of nine.

In the wake of their loss, Cam’s family is turning their grief into purpose. In honor of their son’s courageous spirit, they have leaned into advocacy - looking for ways to drive progress for pediatric cancer research. Their mission: to fund breakthrough research for relapsed AML and improve treatment options for GVHD after transplant. Through this work, they hope to bring lasting cures for those with AML —ones that eradicate the disease without leaving children with new battles to fight.

“Being part of the pediatric cancer world for so long, it's painfully clear that these kids deserve better treatment options. That’s why raising money for pediatric cancer research is so critically important”.                                                    - Meg Stepanek (Cam’s mom)

The Stepanek family - Drew, Meg, and Garrett - are committed to making sure no other child suffers as Cam did, and no other parent or sibling faces the unbearable loss of a child to cancer. Cam’s legacy lives on in the lives he touched and in the incredible character he demonstrated throughout his six year battle. To honor him is to embody the kindness, hope, and strength he showed us every single day. That is what it truly means to be CammersTough.