The Jessie Rees Foundation is inspired by Jessica Joy Rees. Jessie was a beautiful, smart, athletic and compassionate 12-year-old. She courageously fought two brain tumors (DIPG) from March 3, 2011 to January 5, 2012. On that painful January day when Jessie earned her angel wings, she left a legacy of hope, joy and encouragement to other kids fighting cancer. During her 10-month fight, Jessie selflessly focused on other kids fighting cancer, or Courageous Kids as she would call them.
1. Why was your organization established? Tell us your why? Jessie shared her message to NEGU® (Never Ever Give Up) with as many Courageous Kids as she could. Both online and in person during her visits to the hospital. She knew cancer made them feel lonely and limited, so she personally stuffed and shipped her JoyJars to more than 3,000 Courageous Kids fighting cancer. Since 2012, the Jessie Rees Foundation has been able to stuff and send more than 150,000 of Jessie’s JoyJars to Courageous Kids worldwide.
2. Tell us about your organization. What is your mission? On April 8, 2011, Jessie’s 12th birthday, she had a wish…”Please help every kid fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up!” Her wish is the sole mission of the Jessie Rees Foundation and now referred to as “Jessie’s Wish.” Her wish helps us ensure that every kid fighting cancer has the support to Never Ever Give Up!
Services
3. What are the services you offer to pediatric cancer patients? The Jessie Rees Foundation fulfills Jessie’s wish by committing 100% of its resources to building relationships to encourage each Courageous Kid and family to NEGU. Jessie’s JoyJars are the beginning of a relationship with a Courageous Family in chaos. Each of Jessie’s JoyJars are stuffed with age-appropriate toys to put a smile on the face of a Courageous Kid. They also have the next steps for parents to enroll their child in a FREE Year of JOY – where the entire family will receive continuous boosts of hope, joy and love to empower them to NEGU! The Jessie Rees Foundation provides them with meaningful encouragement during the most difficult season in their lives.
4. What do you wish more people knew about your non profit or the work you are accomplishing? Everyone of Jessie’s JoyJars is FREE to Courageous Kids. More than 150,000 Courageous Kids fighting cancer have received JoyJars. We will continue to care until their is a cure!
Get Involved
5. How can we get involved in helping you achieve your mission? If you want to help, $20 sends a JoyJar full of hospital approved toys directly to a child fighting cancer. If you know a child fighting cancer, please encourage them to sign up to receive their FREE Year of JOY here: jessie.org/joy/
We are so happy to share with you The Jessie Rees Foundation and the many ways they are serving the childhood cancer community. Visit their website if you would like more information about or to get involved.
The goal of The Truth 365 is to educate and mobilize millions of people through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social networking sites. The full-length documentary and shorter films inform the public that there is a critical need for funding for pediatric cancer research and that they, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and our elected leaders are in a position to help. Through the film, we introduce the public to the world of childhood cancer and invite them to be a voice for all children fighting cancer. We accomplish this by showing very personal, compelling and inspiring stories of children fighting cancer. This touches our viewers on an emotional level and motivates them to take action on behalf of children with cancer. This show of support has sent a strong message to Congress, the White House and the NCI.
1. Tell us about your organization. What is your mission?
The Truth 365 is the social media awareness campaign of Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation. Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation’s mission is to promote and advance the science and art of medicine related to the study of pediatric cancer cells and related structures, to support and enhance education in pediatric oncology fields, to support and enhance pediatric oncology research and in allied fields, to facilitate, improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting pediatric cancer cells and related structures and doing and engaging in any and all activities that may be necessary or incidental to any or all of the foregoing purposes.
Our mission is to (1) provide funds to medical and/or scientific personnel and/or institutions to participate in local, regional and/or national research programs for the study of pediatric cancer diseases and allied fields in effort to treat and/or cure such diseases, (2) to provide educational materials and/or medical equipment to medical and/or scientific personnel and/or institutions for the study of pediatric cancer and related diseases in effort to treat and/or cure such diseases, (3) to provide literary information, support and education concerning pediatric cancer and related diseases to medical and/or scientific personnel as well as the general public at no cost in an effort to raise public awareness of such diseases so as to promote early detection and treatment.
2. Why was your organization established? Tell us your why? On July 6, 2008, the lives of Dena and Billy Sherwood changed forever when their then 13-month-old son, Billy Jr., was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a very aggressive cancer of the sympathetic nervous system that most commonly occurs in infants and children under the age of five. In August of 2009, in the midst of their son’s aggressive treatment, Dena and Billy founded Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation
Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation is working closely with scientists, researchers and doctors; who are pioneers in the pediatric cancer field, who are on the forefront bringing many alternative therapies into clinic which could prolong the lives of children diagnosed with cancer until a cure is funded.
Right now there are 40,000 children being treated for childhood cancer but research funding is limited as pharmaceutical companies do not see the efforts as profitable. Recognizing that children should not be viewed as a profit, but, rather, our investment, Arms Wide Open raises money for alternative therapies and actual treatments these children so desperately need in order to survive.
Services
3. What are the services you offer to pediatric cancer patients? One hundred percent of all money raised by or for The Truth 365 goes directly into childhood cancer research. Arms Wide Open has many way that we offer services to pediatric cancer patients. We fund research and clinical trials that have made a huge difference in the lives of many children with cancer.
While our primary mission is to fund research for safer and less toxic treatments, helping families is also a key reason that AWOCCF exists. When a child is diagnosed with cancer it affects the entire family. Arms Wide Open is dedicated to helping families emotionally, spiritually and financially. Here are some ways that we assist families.
AWOCCF hosts the Hope and Healing Bereavement Retreat for families who have lost a child to cancer. The free three-day retreat is held at Skytop Lodge in Skytop, PA.
Arms Wide Open provides monthly grants to families suffering hardship due to their child’s cancer diagnosis. Complete and email thisformtokristen@awoccf.org.
AWOCCF sponsors the Monthly Women’s Integrative Wellness Night at the Ronald McDonald House NYC each month. Caregivers of children with cancer enjoy a few hours of respite as they receive spa treatments, lite fare and gift bags.
We also have a compassionate crowdfunding program called “Helping Hands” that allows families to raise money for their own needs due to the financial burdens of childhood cancer. Families are able to keep 100% of the money they raise with no transaction fees. Arms Wide Open takes care of any costs associated.
Another way we help families and other childhood cancer foundations is by hosting “CureFest for Childhood Cancer” each year in Washington, Dc during September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month). Thousands of people come together as ONE VOICE against childhood cancer. There is a Rally to the Capitol, a Meet & Greet, a Candlelight Vigil to the White House, a 3 mike Walk, and the CureFest Festival on the National Mall.
4. What do you wish more people knew about your non profit or the work you are accomplishing? I guess we wish more people knew about all the opportunities available through Arms Wide Open/The Truth 365. Our goal is to reach as many people as we can and to help as many families as we can.
Get Involved
5. How can we get involved in helping you achieve your mission? One way you can get involved is to share the posts we make on The Truth 365. We are currently collecting signatures on a petition https://www.thetruth365.org/petition. Raising awareness and reaching out to your local representatives will help, as well.
We are so happy to share with you The Truth 365 and Arms Wide Open and the many ways they are serving the childhood cancer community. Visit their website if you would like more information about or to get involved.
MaxLove Project is a Santa Ana, California based nonprofit organization with a mission to increase the quality of life and reduce health risks for all children surviving cancer, both in treatment and beyond. They empower families fighting childhood cancers and related life-threatening conditions with quality of life care, fierce foods, whole-body wellness resources, education and research. They believe that true health starts when families are empowered to be active partners in their child’s healing. Wellness matters. You really can enhance treatment efficacy and mitigate the lifelong devastating side effects of treatment by incorporating wellness strategies. That said, they don’t believe in “perfect”. Their motto is “perfect is the enemy of the good, strive for progress over perfection.” They are a community of parents and caregivers who help families with all of this as they share in our learning.
Misson
1. Tell us about your organization.What is your mission?
At MaxLove Project, we invest in hope. Today, nearly 80% of all children diagnosed with some cancers survive beyond 5 years. While this is great news for many, the fight for most is never over. Researchers now know that the treatments that save lives also increase later risks for serious, life-threatening illnesses. These health risks are lifelong, increase with age, and can result in early death.
This is why we’re kickstarting our own wellness revolution, one specifically for kids and families fighting cancer and the lifelong effects of cancer treatment. MaxLove Project’s mission is to empower families fighting childhood cancers and related life-threatening conditions with quality of life care, fierce foods, whole-body wellness resources, education and research. We believe that true health starts when families are empowered to be active partners in their child’s healing.
Inspired by SuperMax Wilford, a brain cancer fighting superhero, MaxLove Project is a volunteer-powered, grassroots nonprofit organization founded to help SuperKids thrive against cancer and life-threatening conditions. We believe that all kids should have full access to every cancer-fighting tool available, including excellent nutrition and therapeutic resources such as acupuncture, physical activity, and healing narratives.
Teaming up with a diverse group of doctors, nurses, dietitians, chefs, farmers, integrative medicine practitioners and artists, MaxLove Project equips families to thrive within the pediatric healthcare system of today—where the standard of care for most life-limiting illnesses does not include essential integrative therapies—as we work to change the system of tomorrow. MaxLove Project’s programs and resources support families in the key areas of survivorship health. Each program focuses on several “super actions” for lifelong healthy survivorship. We are a community of dedicated change-makers who believe in the power of integrative health care for all children.
2. Why was your organization established? Can you tell us your “why”? MaxLove Project was established in the fall of 2011 after my son, Max, was diagnosed with an intrinsic mixed-grade brainstem glioma at the age of 4 1/2. We started by distributing therapeutic Cloud b Twilight Turtles in partnership with the company and grew into the nutrition and integrative medicine space based on our experiences trying to save Max’s life. I am a trained chef and I knew we could do more for our son, and also share our learning with our community. It’s a long story, but today our hospital has a protocol for the ketogenic diet and solid tumors, thanks to Max. He’s now 10 years old and thriving, still fighting, but thriving.
Services
3. What are the services you offer to pediatric cancer patients?
MaxLove Project provides educational, programmatic, and direct support that aims to improve quality of life and lower cancer-related health risks for children in treatment and survivorship. MaxLove Project programs include wellness start-up packages (BeSuper & Thrive Welcome Kit), culinary medicine cooking classes (Fierce Foods Academy), culinary medicine education materials (Fierce Foods Guide), health promotion art therapy (Camp Make & Believe), fully-funded individualized dietetic consultations with Registered Dietitians, dietitian- and health-coach-facilitated online parent support groups (SuperFamilies Support Network), fully-funded organic broth for families in treatment (Broth Bank), hospital library program (Ethan’s & Choco’s Book Club), cancer research funding, and a 12-week integrative medicine support program for childhood cancer families (Ohana Project). Families can sign up with us via this link.
4. What do you wish more people knew about your non profit or the work you are accomplishing? MaxLove Project provides empowering, evidence-based integrative medicine and wellness resources to families facing childhood cancers. We have a national support network of over 850 families where we engage in therapeutic social support and distribute essential evidence-based information. We are non-judgemental and supportive, we meet each other where we are in the the space of compassion, empathy, and love. There is no one way or right way to do this, and each family and individual demands a unique wellness protocol, so there’s no one way or one size fits all approach. We bring together a community of experts, clinicians, families, researchers, chefs, and farmers to create a therapeutic community of support.
We are incredibly excited to share our work in the space of culinary medicine, a movement we’re growing with hospital partners nationwide. We’re enlisting chefs and nutrition experts to help families learn how to cook therapeutically. Also, we are engaging in unique and timely research project in integrative medicine for childhood cancer patients and survivors, called The Ohana Project. Lastly, we are funding brain cancer research at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital that’s focused on the intersection of nutrition and cancer. Please follow us on social media for updates. Very big things are happening now, this year, and we’re so excited to share our learning with families across the nation.
Get Involved
5. How can we get involved in helping you achieve your mission? There are a few ways to get involved. The first, and easiest, is to take to social media and share our posts. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/maxloveproject. We often share cutting edge research as well as wellness tips and even recipes. You never know when a shared resource can really come at a time of need for a family facing cancer. In fact, in September, we generally collaborate with The Honest Company on a massive social media campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We’ve brought many new allies to the cause this way, but it would be wonderful to further engage our community as well.
We have a SuperKid Ambassador program. Any SuperFamily — in treatment, survivorship, or bereaved — can get involved and work with us to share the giving of therapeutic resources. We’ll be launching a new campaign this summer in preparation for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The process will be accessible here: http://www.maxloveproject.org/superkid-ambassador-program
Lastly, we will be opening a chapter program next year. We’ll be partnering with families and hospitals to create culinary medicine programs based on our Fierce Foods Academy with mobile teaching kitchen units. We will also be sharing our unique evidence-based integrative medicine program with these chapters. It will be an exciting project to support. But today, we do have educational materials and resources to share with any interested hospital, and any MaxLove family can bring these resources to their hospital. They can just contact us at info@maxloveproject.org.
We are so happy to share with you the MaxLove Project and the many ways they are serving the childhood cancer community. Visit their website if you would like more information about or to get involved.
When you are forced into the world of childhood cancer, you quickly learn about organizations that exist to help families. The Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation is one of those organizations. While spending over five months in the hospital with their son, Joe MCDonough knows just how important financial and emotional support are for parents of these brave little fighters.
Mission
1. Tell us about your organization.What is your mission? The Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Posivtive) Foundation was born out of the tragic passing of 14 year old, Andrew McDonough, to leukemia. Andrew helped his travel soccer team win a Pennsylvania State Championship on a Saturday and just 48 hours later, he was diagnosed with leukemia and went into septic shock and cardiac arrest. The doctors didn’t think Andrew would live through the night. Andrew lived through that night and battled through nearly 50 operations, 4 strokes, and a brain aneurysm over the next 166 “bonus days” in the PICU. Andrew died in his sister’s arms on July 14, 2007.
Andrew’s blood type and the way he lived was B+ or Be Positive. The mission of The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation is to fight childhood cancer by funding research, providing financial assistance, and advocation for increased funding and awareness of childhood cancers.
Andrew McDonough
2. Why was your organization established? Tell us your “why”? My family and I started our organization because my son died of cancer. No kids should ever get cancer and no kids should ever die from it. Kids should come first. They deserve a chance to grow up. The foundation is not going to bring my son back, but it may make someone else’s journey a little easier and we might accelerate the progress toward a world without childhood cancers.
Services
3. What are the services you offer to pediatric cancer patients? The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation is one of the largest providers of financial assistance to families of kids with cancer nationwide. In 2016, we awarded $1,500,000 to 2,200 families from over 200 hospitals and referring organizations. We also offer our B+ Heroes Program whereby kids with cancer and their siblings get to be paired with college students around the country in a “Big Brother/Big Sister” type of program.
4. What do you wish more people knew about your non profit or the work you are accomplishing? While not unique to our organization, I wish people knew – and cared about – the fact that kids get cancer too!
Get Involved
5. How can we get involved in helping you achieve your mission? We encourage everyone to follow us on Facebook or www.BePositive.org and join us in brining B+ events to your community to raise money and awareness.
We are so happy to share with you The Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation and the many ways they are serving the childhood cancer community. Visit their website if you would like more information about financial assistance or to get involved.
We first learned about Unravel Pediatric Cancer because they formed in much the same way The Gold Hope Project formed; because of a sweet little girl who loves glitter and was diagnosed with Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). DIPG is a devastating pediatric brain tumor that is terminal upon diagnosis with a 0% survival rate. Unravel Pediatric Cancer was formed by Libby and Tony, parents to Jennifer Kranz who passed away from her cancer at only six years old. It is Libby and Tony’s mission to “unravel” pediatric cancer by raising awareness and funding much needed research.
Mission
1. Tell us about your organization. What is your mission? Unravel is a nonprofit organization working to spread knowledge about the grim realities of pediatric cancer and the devastating impact from the lack of funding. We supply the information, tools and support to individuals and communities that want to help create change– because good people want to do good things but sometimes they need help getting started. All monies raised by and for Unravel will go directly to the fight against pediatric cancer. In addition, Unravel partners with other nonprofits to strengthen our efforts. We do all of this with one goal in mind; we will unravel pediatric cancer.
2. Why was your organization established? Tell us your why? Jennifer Lynn Kranz (JLK) was a beautiful 6 year old who was born with glitter in her veins. She sparkled from the inside out and brought out the sparkle in everyone she met. Jennifer was diagnosed with Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) on her 6th birthday. It is terminal upon diagnosis. Jennifer lived 3.5 months. It was never a fair fight. Jennifer will be part of finding a cure and her family and friends want to do their part, too. Unravel Pediatric Cancer was founded by her parents, Tony & Libby Kranz, for that purpose.
Jennifer Lynn Kranz
Services
3. What are the services you offer to pediatric cancer patients? We fund pediatric cancer research to find better, safer, and more effective treatments for children facing all 12 types of cancer. Our funding model of unrestricted funds and building relationships with the labs we fund make us different. It allows researchers to be nimble and pursue the most promising ideas.Also, we look for labs that are disruptive; meaning trying to find new ways of treating and curing pediatric cancer. Unravel focuses on funding early stage research and innovation instead of clinical trials.
4. What do you wish more people knew about your non profit or the work you are accomplishing? We want more people to know how much the money we raise matters to the researchers we fund. These men and women have huge hearts and are fighting very hard for our children. With minimal federal and and big cancer foundation funding, it is up to smaller organizations like ours to fill those gaps and fund this important work. It matters!
Get Involved
5. How can we get involved in helping you achieve your mission? Individuals and families can get involved with Unravel in many fun ways! You can Flutter with us in September or October, hold a lemonade stand or bake sale, organize a coin drive at your school, spread awareness (we call it “spreading the glitter!”) by sharing the facts with friends and family, attend one of our events like our 5k Family Fun Run or a Mama’s Night Out, or make a donation on our website.
We are so happy to share with you Unravel Pediatric Cancer and the many ways they are serving the childhood cancer community. Be sure to check them out on the web.
