Hannah was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in August 2024. An avid runner on her club cross country team, she began having persistent knee pain during training. At first, her family thought it was a typical sports injury, but imaging at a sports medicine appointment revealed something far more serious—a tumor on her knee and tibia. A surgical biopsy confirmed it was cancer.
In November 2024, Hannah underwent surgery to remove the tumor and received a full knee and tibia replacement. Thankfully, her surgeons were able to keep her limb intact. Because of her implant, though, she won’t be able to return to competitive running or the other sports she loves like basketball and lacrosse. Right now, she’s working hard with her orthopedic surgery team and physical therapist to regain movement and strength in her leg. She wears a full-length brace and is still working on bending her knee.
Hannah began chemotherapy immediately after her diagnosis. She completed two five-week cycles before surgery and is currently working through four more post-surgery cycles. Due to the intensity of her treatment, most of her chemo is done inpatient. She and her family spend three to four days at Nationwide Children’s Hospital during three out of every five weeks. It’s become their second home.
Hannah is expected to complete treatment in March or April of 2025.
Life for her family has changed dramatically. Hannah has a 13-year-old sister, and navigating the emotional and logistical challenges of long-term inpatient care has been incredibly difficult. While both parents have flexible jobs, her mom has had to take leave and reduce her workload to care for Hannah. She’s also missed much of her 4th-grade year, keeping up through one-on-one tutoring and the occasional video call with her classmates.
Despite everything, Hannah shines. She’s active, funny, and full of life. Her personality is sparkly and bright—she loves making people laugh and never lets go of her joy. Her personal mantra is “never lose your sparkle,” and she lives it every day.
She’s a huge fan of Ohio State football and basketball, the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark, Taylor Swift, and singing along to her favorite songs. Even in the hardest moments, Hannah’s sparkle lights up every room she’s in.
Charlotte was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hepatoblastoma in January 2023. After being born four months early and spending 143 days in the NICU, her care team transferred her to a different hospital to receive a G-tube due to severe feeding difficulties. During her pre-op workup, her parents requested a genetics consult, which led to an abdominal ultrasound. That scan revealed 12 tumors on her liver. Charlotte was soon diagnosed with Beckwith-Weidemann Syndrome, a rare overgrowth and cancer predisposition disorder. A biopsy confirmed it—Stage 4 liver cancer. She began chemotherapy immediately.
After six rounds of chemo, a liver transplant, and the removal of her gallbladder and adrenal gland, Charlotte is now cancer free.
Charlotte will be immunocompromised for life due to her anti-rejection medications. Because of the risk of infection, she avoids public pools, lakes, and rivers and follows a special diet similar to what a pregnant person would follow. Every illness poses a serious risk—she has been hospitalized for multiple viruses, each requiring a two-week admission.
Her diagnosis has changed everything for her family. Charlotte’s mom left her career to care for her full-time and will homeschool her to protect her health. They live carefully and limit public exposure to keep Charlotte safe.
Despite it all, Charlotte is pure sunshine. She’s hilarious, brave, sweet, and incredibly friendly. She loves Ms. Rachel and Elmo, finds it funny when someone fake sneezes or gets “accidentally” hurt, and could probably live on cookies alone. She is the kind of kid who makes a room brighter just by being in it.
Rosemarie was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on August 8, 2024. Leading up to her diagnosis, she experienced persistent, severe headaches, frequent fevers, unexplained bruises, and nosebleeds. These troubling signs led to the discovery that would change her family’s life forever.
As a result of her diagnosis, Rosemarie has to avoid many of the things she loves like playing in the sun, swimming, and even touching sand or dirt because her immune system is now compromised. She’s endured five intense cycles of chemotherapy, each one involving a 10-day treatment followed by 28 days in the hospital. Now, she’s undergoing treatment following a bone marrow transplant.
Rosemarie’s cancer journey has deeply impacted her family. As a single mother of four, her mom had to leave her job and relocate the children to different schools. Their world has shifted completely, and they are navigating life with limited income and a whole lot of strength.
Through it all, Rosemarie remains a bright light. She’s friendly, talkative, and absolutely loves being outside. Her favorite things include painting nails, dressing up, and all things pink, especially Hello Kitty and princesses. She adores taking photos and has a contagious smile that lights up the room.
Her mom hopes to receive portraits that capture just Rosemarie, images that celebrate her courage and beauty. With her hair lost to chemo, this session is about reminding Rosemarie how truly radiant and powerful she is. These images will be treasured reminders of her strength and the brave journey she’s walking.
Tadeo was diagnosed with cancer on November 3rd, 2024, after experiencing what seemed like a simple stomach ache and fever. His family never expected those symptoms to lead to such a life-changing diagnosis.
Since then, Tadeo has undergone chemotherapy and faced the challenges that come with treatment. While he hasn’t had any major physical limitations, his diagnosis has completely reshaped his family’s daily life and routines. It’s been a tough adjustment, but they’ve walked through it together, with love and resilience.
Despite everything, Tadeo is still the bright, joyful child he’s always been. He’s incredibly intelligent, full of energy, and always ready to laugh. He loves running, jumping, and playing soccer with his team. Those moments of movement and fun are when he feels most like himself. His sense of humor and vibrant spirit continue to shine through even the hardest days.
Tadeo is more than a fighter, he’s a joyful light to everyone around him.
Adrian’s journey with cancer began on January 1st, 2025, a day his family will never forget. In the weeks leading up to his diagnosis, he battled illness after illness: strep, RSV, and an ear infection. Then a pattern of symptoms no parent ever wants to see, bruising, severe fatigue, loss of appetite, and dangerously high fevers. Despite multiple visits to the ER, his family was told it was just viral. But his mom knew something wasn’t right. When she noticed bleeding on his gums, she trusted her gut and demanded thorough testing, and finally, they got an answer: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Since then, Adrian has bravely endured three rounds of chemotherapy, three spinal taps, three bone marrow biopsies, and surgery to place a double lumen port. Each step of treatment has meant long inpatient stays far from home, financial stress, and emotional tolls from being separated as a family. His mom has stepped away from work to care for him full-time, while his dad works reduced hours to be by their side.
And yet, Adrian shines.
He’s a jokester through and through, the kind of kid whose laughter fills a room and whose smile can break through even the hardest days. He’s resilient, brave, and bursting with personality. He loves superheroes, especially Spiderman and the Hulk, and he dances, sings, and lights up any space he’s in. Nothing, not even cancer, has dimmed his spirit.
Adrian’s story is one of strength, faith, and fierce love. His family has leaned into their faith more than ever, finding hope in the hardest moments and choosing joy wherever they can. He’s not just a fighter, he’s a superhero in his own right.
Glenn’s cancer journey began when he was just 2 and a half years old. What started as fever and abdominal pain led to a devastating diagnosis: hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer. After undergoing liver resection surgery, his family hoped the worst was behind them, but cancer had other plans. Tumors quickly overtook what remained of his liver, and a transplant became his only option for survival. Thankfully, Glenn received his new liver, and today he is three years post-transplant and cancer-free.
But life after cancer still brings challenges. Glenn is now on lifelong immune suppression due to his transplant, and he also has hearing loss from chemotherapy. Blood thinners are a part of his daily routine, meaning contact sports and rough play are off-limits. His journey has included countless pokes, port accesses, infusions, procedures, surgeries, complications, and months living out of state for specialized care. His family has faced separation, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion—but also incredible resilience and hope.
When asked how cancer changed their lives, his parents said it best: The real question is, how has it NOT changed us?
Despite everything, Glenn’s spirit shines bright. He’s hilarious, loves cracking (and hearing) jokes, and is endlessly curious. He thrives with building toys—LEGO, Magna-Tiles, and anything STEM-related. Most of all, he loves people. His laughter is infectious, and his courage is unforgettable.
Glenn is more than a survivor. He’s a builder, a jokester, a people-person, and a true light in this world.
