Layla Grace Children's Cancer Research Foundation

Collin Henry is a perfect five year old boy. He loves die cast cars, playing baseball with his daddy, and is great at math. In May 2008, Collin was a sweet toddler that had just celebrated his second birthday. He had been very lethargic for about a month and was covered in bruises. His mom, Kathleen, tried repeatedly to have him seen by the doctors, but the advice nurses insisted that he was “just anemic.” No one would have guessed that Collin was about to begin a journey where he would prove that real superheroes do not wear capes. Read More…

Andrew Becker, Director of Media Relations for the American Cancer Society, let fly a tone-deaf blog post a few days ago regarding the Bald Barbie grass roots campaign that is growing via Facebook. The goal of the campaign is to help women and girls cope with their hair loss during treatment and feel beautiful. In his article he posits that childhood cancer doesn’t need more awareness, what it needs is more donations. One would assume he means donations to the American Cancer Society, unless he advocates fundraising for other charities. I’ll let you make up your mind on that one.

He started off the post by asking who would financially benefit from sale of the dolls, a fair question to ask. The intellectual dishonesty then crept in as he lamented the troubles that too much awareness can bring citing the fear women now have of breast cancer. Then he flew off the rails with this gem “Childhood cancer is exceedingly rare.”

First of all, what qualifies as exceedingly rare? Considering that the author has three children I find that statement to be emotionally disconnected at best. On Wikipedia I would have tagged this as [citation needed]. Secondly, thanks for confirming the ACS’s lack of relevance in this area.

So if I read correctly, we don’t need more awareness for childhood cancer because it is “exceedingly rare” what we need are more donations to the ACS, less than 1% of which will go to childhood cancer? Got it.

Hannah is a wonderful, active little girl. On December 8, 2011, she was knocked down while playing at recess. Hannah’s knee swelled up and her doctor decided to take x-rays a week later. The scans revealed a tumor in her knee. Read More…

Charlotte Kelly is an amazing, feisty 5 year old girl. She is her “Mom’s best friend.” In June of 2009, Charlotte began experiencing some vague symptoms that progressed. After a couple of weeks, increased abdominal pain and enlarged lymph nodes resulted in further testing. Read More…

Caitlin Taylor is a beautiful young lady with amazing grace and a loving personality. In January of 2010, she was diagnosed with Astrocytoma. Read More…

Isaiah was a typical, silly and fun-loving six-year-old boy; monster trucks, superheroes, all of the typical boy stuff.  But, as his cousin Nicole said -”He’s literally a mini superhero.” Isaiah owned every superhero costume there ever was and he would wear his favorite ones everywhere he went. People were drawn to his lovable smile like a magnet. Read More…

Hunter Hampton is an adorable baby who is full of personality. In mid August, his mother noticed an odd glare in his beautiful, blue eyes and insisted on getting them checked. Hunter saw a pediatric eye doctor the next morning. They found a mass on his retina. Read More…

Bo Story has been fighting Medulloblastoma for two years. Since his third brain surgery in April, he has been dealing with a lot of pain and having difficulty maintaining oxygen levels on his own.   Read More…

Karrie Dodez has been battling Neuroblastoma since July 2005. She has undergone radiation, numerous chemotherapy treatments, stem cell transplants, and MIBG therapy. Read More…

Bella Rodriguez-Torres is a sweet eight year old girl from Miami. In July 2007, at four years old, she became paralyzed and the doctors discovered a large mass around her spine. Bella was diagnosed with Stage IV Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. The cancer was in nine places throughout her little body. Read More…