In 2009, I waited at UNC hospital late one summer night for a sweet baby boy named Oliver to be born. Less than two years later, I sat at the same hospital as that same baby boy underwent surgery for a germ cell tumor to be removed from his spine.  Oliver and his parents, Jed and Stacy,  underwent surgeries, chemo, endless MRIs, ER visits, and travel to find the very best  care in far off cities. Watching our dearest friends experience this disease was heartbreaking, but they figured out ways to smile, create new normals, and just LIVE. And Oliver has done just that...he is ALIVE and KICKING (in ninja class)! 

This year, our sweet friends, David and Erin Fish, got the devastating news  their 2 year old son, Declan, had a Grade III Choroid Plexus Carcinoma. This brain tumor demanded multiple surgeries, endless hours of physical therapy, two months in the hospital, and six months of chemo. While I have not gotten the joy of meeting Declan (he lives in Seattle), his photos reflect his resilience and bright spirit. Upon his last round of testing and imaging, no evidence of disease was found ! Declan will continue to undergo close observation for his entire life unless future medical advancements are made. Yet, just like the Gants, the Fish family is ALIVE and KICKING!

The journeys of Oliver and Declan through cancer are my inspiration for shaving my head to raise money for childhood cancer. Did you know that kids' cancers are different from adult cancers? It's true. And childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded. So I decided to do something about it by raising money for cures.

Now I need your help! Will you make a donation? Every dollar makes a difference for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers.

Every family deserves to have their kids 

ALIVE and KICKING!!!