Our Kids

Abigail is a very spunky and sassy little girl who doesn’t hold back. She loves to play outside and be a great mommy to her babies. She was diagnosed at 11 months old with an Ependymoma Brain Tumor. She underwent surgery 2 days after diagnosis. She underwent 16 months of inpatient chemotherapy. Her protocol was for 18 months of chemo, but right at the 16 month mark the tumor came back. After her 2nd craniotomy, she had 6 weeks of proton radiation. Her scans have been clear since!

Kayla is 13. She loves to draw, read books, and listen to music. Kayla is also a huge Harry Potter fan! Kayla is the middle child and has four siblings. Kayla is fighting acute myeloid leukemia. Kayla has faced many treatment challenges including: stroke, pulmonary hemorrhage, lung collapse, and sepsis. Kayla continues to build her strength in rehab. She will also possibly have two more round of chemo. Kayla is one fierce girl!

Cade is a fun, outgoing, energetic child. He is three-years-old and loves playing with his older brother, Rylan. Cade enjoys being outside and playing with his dog Henry. Cade was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma on June 13, 2018. He had surgery on June 18th to remove the tumor. Cade will continue his fight by undergoing chemotherapy. Cade always has a smile on his face!

Brooklyn is a 5-year-old triplet. She is very independent and smart. She loves learning! She is fascinated with makeup and everything girly. She loves playing with her dolls and Barbies. Brooklyn was diagnosed with a Wilms tumor, a kind of kidney tumor, on 8/18/16. Her tumor was 14 inches and had grown into her IVC, the main blood vessel from the lower half of your body to your heart. Brooklyn underwent 28 weeks of chemo. She recently had her port removed and is NED!

Aidan started 6th grade this year. He likes Lego's, Hot Wheels, PS4 games, hockey, and Nerf guns. Aidan lost his little brother, Riley, to cancer. Riley battled cancer for four years. He had Pineoblastoma, a type of brain cancer. Riley loved SpongeBob, Mickey Mouse, and superheroes. He liked to play and was a fan of Monster Trucks! Riley loved his big brother.

Greyson is a happy two-year-old. He loves Elmo, balls, and playing with his big sister Mila. Greyson has Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He endured 5 intense rounds of chemo. Greyson relapsed, so he needed additional treatment. It was a long road of additional chemo, radiation, and a stem cell transplant. Greyson is going to be a big brother in the near future!

Adrian is a very happy boy. He loves every new person he meets. Adrian loves bath time, and his favorite snack is Honey Nut Cheerios. Adrian was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer. Adrian will undergo 6 rounds of chemotherapy, laser treatments, and frequent eye exams under anesthesia. Adrian continues to develop and thrive in spite of his cancer.

Shane will be 15 on September 15th. He loves to play baseball, fish, and play the piano. He also loves to play video games on his Play Station 4. Shane was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2015 in his left leg. Shane has battled cancer by undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and physical therapy. Shane has had a complicated journey. Shane had his leg amputated to remove the tumor. Recently, Shane's cancer spread. He is home on hospice care.

Anais is a two-year-old girl from Sweden. Anais loves to explore and is fearless in her adventures. She loves to climb and venture wherever she is. Anais had stage 1 Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. She had a 4 cm mass on her left adrenal gland. Anais had surgery to remove the tumor, adrenal gland, and kidney. Anais needed adjuvant treatment and has been in remission ever since.

Holden is 1 1/2. He loves cars and balls. He loves to go for walks and enjoys being outdoors. Holden loves to be with his dad on the golf course! Holden has AT/RT, a type of brain cancer. Holden is undergoing treatment to rid his body of cancer. Holden is one strong boy!

Izzy is 2 1/2. She loves to eat anything, especially her almond milk. Izzy likes to play with kids, and she enjoys going almost anywhere. She also enjoys singing and dancing! Izzy was diagnosed with B Cell All Leukemia. She underwent 9 months of intense treatment. Izzy is now in maintenance treatment which lasts a total of two years. Izzy has spinal taps and continues to take oral chemo during this phase of treatment. Izzy is one strong girl!

Timmy is the youngest of five. He has a way of bringing laughter and love everywhere he goes. He has a positive attitude. Timmy has Pineoblastoma, a type of brain cancer. Timmy has had two surgeries, six weeks of daily proton radiation, and a six month regiment of intensive inpatient chemotherapy. Through it all, Timmy continues to spread joy to everyone!

Matthew exudes life in his smile, his hugs, his high fives, and his spirit. He is 6 1/2 years old. Matthew has a brother and sister, Nolan and Sophia. Matthew was born with stage 4 brain cancer. He was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioma. He is the only child in the country who has ever survived. Matthew has undergone chemotherapy, 11 brain surgeries, and has spent a total of 2 years of his life in inpatient. Matthew is one special boy!

Josie started kindergarten this fall. She loves Barbies, baby dolls, playing outside, and most of all, her family. Josie has a younger brother, Jack. In December of 2016, Josie was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Her scans revealed a tumor on her pelvis. To fight this cancer, Josie had 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 31 doses of radiation. Her last scans showed no evidence of disease!

Lauren and Noah were the best of friends at only 20 months apart. They did everything together. Lauren is 8. She adores horses and rides weekly. Lauren wants to be a wild vet when she grows up! Noah loved his big sister so much. He was diagnosed with medulloblastoma just before turning 3. He battled just 6 months before it returned during treatment and quickly took his life just 4 weeks later.

Brody is starting first grade. He loves making his brother Bennett laugh. Brody loves playing outside, garbage trucks, car washes, and tornado alarms. He dreams of becoming a garbage man when he grows up! Brody was diagnosed with an optic nerve brain tumor just one month shy of turning two. He underwent 6 months of chemotherapy which shrunk the tumor, but caused loss of eyesight in his left eye. Then, he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2016. He will complete his treatment in June of 2019.

Mason is a happy 2 1/2 year old. He loves music, soccer, football, and hockey. Mason loves playing with Braden, his older brother. Mason suffers from a rare blood disorder called Severe Congenital Neutropenia. This causes Mason to have a weak immune system. To treat his he has had two stem cell transplants. Mason is still receiving treatment for his condition and is attending rehab to help his body gain strength. Mason is one brave little boy!

Adan is a happy boy who loves superheroes, baseball, and basketball. He is 9 and has an older sister and an older brother. Adan was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant rhabdoid sarcoma. He has had five surgeries to remove the tumors. Adan has relapsed twice, and his last scan showed new tumor growth. The doctors are keeping a close eye on this sweet boy.

Gavin is a seventh grader this year. He loves being outside, digging, and catching robins. Gavin loves geese, cows, and Metra trains. Gavin was diagnosed with high risk B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2016. Gavin is still undergoing treatment for cancer. He is also struggling with bone issues from steroids. Gavin is the happiest kid you'll ever meet!

Adler loves superheroes, YouTube, and Disney. Adler plays drums and loves David Bowie and Elvis. He enjoys music! Adler has Pilomyxoid Astrocytoma brain cancer. His tumors are inoperable. The tumors cause Adler pain which his team tries to manage with medication. In spite of all of this, Adler is a happy boy.

This is Rachel and Mia. Rachel is 12. She likes baseball, Lego's, and video games, and being on her phone/iPad. Rachel was a wonderful sister to Mia. Mia had a brain tumor, low grade glioma with spread to her spine. She was diagnosed in 2011 at the age of 2. Mia battled cancer for 6 years. She passed away on October 25, 2017. She loved the color yellow, dogs, rainbows, the Cubs, and emojis.

Ethan is a third grader. He loves baseball and is a huge Cubs fan. Ethan enjoys being with his friends and his dog, Rudy. Ethan was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor was behind his eye, and eventually was the reason his left eye was surgically removed. Ethan has had numerous rounds of chemotherapy and undergone radiation. His last three scans have been clear. Ethan is doing great!

Dominic is an active 3-year-old. He is a bundle of energy and always smiling. Dom loves trucks, being outside, and exploring. Dom has battled cancer twice. He just finished treatment for a second Wilms tumor, a type of kidney cancer. Dom was just 8 months old when he was first diagnosed. He had 6 months of chemo and had his kidney removed. He was cancer free for 15 months, and then the cancer came back. This time he had 6 weeks of chemo and another surgery to remove the second mass.

Sophia is a happy six-year-old. She enjoys school, art projects, music, and dancing. When she was two, Sophia was diagnosed with a hypothalamic tumor, an inoperable brain tumor. She has endured 3 different chemo regimens, partial blindness, and hydrocephalus. Her recent scans have been stable. Sophia just started kindergarten this fall!

Hayden recently lost his battle to Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. He was diagnosed in December of 2017. Hayden bravely tolerated the chemotherapy and all of its side effects. He was a kind big brother to his sister Kayla. Hayden loved to play football and baseball. He enjoyed playing saxophone and was a big video gamer. Hayden will be missed by his family and is an inspiration to all those who knew him.

Ella Joy is 9 and loves playing with Calico Critters, Shoppie Dolls, Cutie Cars, and squishies. She loves basketball, badminton, and reading. Ella Joy was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2013 and relapsed with T-cell Leukemia in 2017. Ella is still undergoing treatment. She is so happy to be starting 4th grade!

Anthony is a happy 3-year-old. He loves playing with food toys and pretending he's cooking. Anthony loves Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse Club. Anthony was diagnosed with Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor, a rare brain cancer. Anthony has faced many challenges since his diagnosis, including: chemo, radiation, septic shock, bacterial meningitis, and multi-organ failure. After many months of therapy and treatment, Anthony pulled through! He is such a strong boy!

Kayley is a sweet 8-year-old girl who loves being creative with Lego's, art projects, and drawing. She loves playing volleyball and cheering on the Cubs! In 2017, Kayley was diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer. Kayley faced surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation to treat her cancer. Her latest scans were clear. Kayley couldn't be happier!

Zayvian is 2-years-old. He loves Michael Jackson, dancing, singing, and playing with kitchen sets. Zayvian was diagnosed with an AT/RT tumor in January of 2018. He had surgery to remove the tumor and began chemotherapy treatment. At one of his scans, the doctors discovered new tumor growth. The doctors adjusted his treatment plan to prepare Zayvian for a stem cell transplant. He will continue treatment at Lurie.

Landon is a happy middle schooler. He is a huge WWE fan and recently went on his Make A Wish trip to Disney World. Landon was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. He has bravely faced the treatment protocol. His team of doctors is working to manage the symptoms caused by the tumor. Landon was our very first Fear? Not! Friend! Landon recently passed away form his long battle with cancer in August of 2019.

River is the sweetest boy! He is almost 3. He loves to sing and dance. He is obsessed with "The Little Rascals" movie and just loves to play with water. Just after his first birthday, River was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor. River endured surgery and 15 long months of treatment. River's last scans have been clear. River became a big brother during his treatment!

Zoe is seven. She likes to play dress up and do her hair and nails. She also likes to play with her American Girl dolls. She also enjoys singing and dancing! Zoe was diagnosed with B Cell Lymphoma at the age of four. She went through 2.5 years of chemo. Zoe finished her treatment in May of 2018. She is doing great!

Noah is a happy 6th grader. He loves watching WWE wrestling and is a super fan. Noah enjoys watching comedies, playing football, and playing video games. He loves spending time with his family. Noah was diagnosed with Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma as a 3rd grader in 2017. After a successful surgery, Noah was cancer free until the winter of 4th grade. In January of 2018, he had a 2nd surgery and chemo. He finished treatment at the end of September 2018. Noah is currently cancer free!

Kalani is four. She enjoys being outdoors and playing in water. Kalani loves being with her friends at school. At school she loves to play with Magna Tiles. In February of 2018, Kalani was diagnosed with stage 4 Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. She also has a genetic mutation that increases her chances of developing cancer. Kalani is currently in treatment. She is one brave girl! Kalani passed away from her battle with cancer in January of 2018.

Briana was diagnosed with cancer in October of 2017. Briana bravely fought osteosarcoma for 11 months. After relapsing, Briana passed away in September of 2018. Briana was a happy child. She loved swimming, YouTube, and playing Minecraft on her iPad. She enjoyed crafting and painting. Briana was a great big sister to her brother Brandon.

Emma is almost 9 and lovers her "Big Bear," arts and crafts, reading, fashion, and all things Belle. Emma has three siblings and loves to spend time with her family. Emma was diagnosed with a Wilms tumor in May of 2017. After surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments, Emma has been clear of all disease since January of 2018.

Ava is a 2 time cancer fighter facing Stage 5 Bilateral Wilms Tumor in 2011 and again in 2018. Ava is currently cancer free! Ava is a competitive dancer. She is also a cancer advocate for Dance Hope Cure and The Truth 365. Ava also has her own campaign to raise money for Wilms Tumor research.

Vivienne was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as an infant. She underwent treatment and is currently cancer free. Vivienne is a happy two year old. She loves birds, being outside, and spending time with her three siblings.

Nonah is a happy two year old. She loves playing with her teddy bears and playing with her older brother and sister. Nonah was diagnosed with Myoepithelial Carcinoma ex Pleomorphic Adenoma, which presented as a tumor in her ear. She has undergone chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Nonah is currently cancer free!

Aaron is almost 7. He has two brothers. He loves music, playing in water, watching high action sports, and swinging! Aaron was diagnosed with an ependymoma brain cancer when he was almost 1 1/2 years old. He underwent chemotherapy and surgery and has been cancer free for more than 5 years.

Josephine was diagnosed with stage one Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma at age 1 1/2. She underwent successful surgery and is currently cancer free! Josephine has one older brother. She loves dinosaurs, gymnastics, dogs, and ice cream.

Grayson is three years old. He has four sisters and loves spending time with his kitties and playing with trains. Grayson was diagnosed at age 2 with stage 3 Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. He has had several surgeries and underwent chemotherapy. In spite of all this, Grayson's cancer spread. He is currently trying a trial medication through St. Jude.

Megan recently graduated high school. She enjoys makeup, singing, concerts, and shopping. Megan has been battling stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma for 4 years. Megan has endured many rounds of chemo and countless radiation treatments. She continues to battle and raise awareness as a childhood cancer advocate.

Fiona is 15. She enjoys family, music, boating, social media, and shopping. Fiona was diagnosed with NF1 with optic glioma and low grade glioma when she was a baby. She underwent treatment and will continue to have imaging to monitor her health.

Jackson is a 5th grader and has twin brothers. He enjoys Cub Scouts, chess, and basketball. Jackson was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer. He underwent surgery, radiation, and chemo, to treat his cancer. He is currently cancer free! Jackson continues physical therapy.

Jack was diagnosed with Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma in October of 2018. Jack continues his oral chemotherapy to help control his cancer. Jack has three younger sisters. He loves dinosaurs, Minecraft, and super heroes. He also loves to draw.

LJ recently graduated high school. He loves sports and enjoys playing football, basketball, and golf. He also loves hanging out with friends and playing video games. LJ was diagnosed with stage 4 Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma in June of 2018. LJ has exhausted all his treatment options and has begun palliative radiation to help manage his symptoms.

Mason loves to play piano and guitar. In addition to music, he enjoys swimming on his swim team. Mason was diagnosed with Optic Pathway Glioma in July of 2014. He has tried several different chemotherapy regimens to fight his cancer. He is now on a daily oral chemo.

Layla was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, liver cancer, in January of 2019. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy and is currently cancer free! Layla loves Sesame Street. She likes to play with her blocks and go on walks in her wagon. Layla also has two brothers.

Anthony is 4. He loves his sister Ava and his brother Vincent. He also loves his two dogs, Snoop and Gator. Anthony was diagnosed with high risk B Cell ALL, a form of leukemia, in September of 2018. Anthony still has two more years of treatment.

Michael was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma when he was 2 1/2 in August of 2018. Michael underwent chemotherapy and is receiving radiation. Michael loves Monster trucks, dinosaurs, baseball, fishing, and playing outside. He has a baby brother named Henry.