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After being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia when he was 3 years old in 2012, Cullen Cisneros was able to live the next 8 years of his life free of cancer until 2020 when leg pain during a baseball game led to a diagnosis of Ewings Sarcoma. Cullen's parents Amy and Matt will talk about their beloved son, who fought from 2020 until May of 2025 to try and do everything he could to stay alive, only to pass away from this Bone Cancer when he was 15 years old. 

Amelia Mijach's then 2 year old son Hayes was diagnosed with High Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was 2 years old in August of 2024 and the reason for his high risk status was because of his extraordinarily high white blood cell count at diagnosis. Hayes then contacted a serious fungal infection during his consolidation phase of his treatment and during the next year and a half of treatment he needed to fight off a battle of Neutropenic Fever and he experienced other battles as well. Finally in  December of 2025 Hayes turned the corner and is doing much better physically and is as active as possible. 

Erik Rees became an amazing Cancer Dad and Pediatric Cancer advocate during and after his daughter Jessie battled with and passed away from DIPG at the age of 12 in January of 2012. Erik talks about his beloved daughter and then details the Jessie Rees Foundation which was started because of Jessie's wish to help Pediatric Cancer patients who were at Children's Hospital of Orange County in California. Jessie started her Jessie's Joy Jars while battling her Pediatric Brain Cancer, and nearly 600,000 patients have received these Joy Jars in the United States and across the globe since Jessie was able to donate 3000 of these to patients before her passing. This foundation now raises 5 1/2 million dollars each year.

Ben Shroyers then  2 year old daughter Hannah was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in 2018, then was diagnosed with Histiocytosis which ended up in her brain before she became cancer free in 2021. Now 10 years old and in 3rd grade, Hannah is doing well health wise. Ben started the Casting For The Kids Foundation in 2020 during the pandemic as a way to help families both emotionally and financially through a fishing tournament which has now raised $460,000 over the past 6 years . Ben is an amazing advocate for families in the Sarasota, Florida area and what he has accomplished through his foundation for many individuals and families in the Pediatric Cancer world is truly outstanding.

When Kelly DiGiammo's son Brayden was 13 years old in early 2024 he developed troubling health symptoms, including going from being one of the fastest runners in the school to losing his breath and running very slowly, experiencing continuing colds, and then having a bout with the flu. Brayden was diagnosed late in February of that year with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Brayden successfully completed a Stem Cell Transplant and has been in remission since May of 2024. Kelly and Brayden will talk about his journey which has been a successful one and Kelly will also talk about her experiences getting involved in advocacy work for the cause of Pediatric Cancer. 

The bill AB 703 which was signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom and which I talked about with Sahil Metha on my podcast a few weeks ago is just one of the important accomplishments that was led by the Society Of Emerging Leaders, which was co founded by Mary Kemp in 2022 and is under the direction of Kaitlyn Lee. This law now gives the voters in California the option to check off a box on their state tax form if they would like to donate to the cause of Pediatric Cancer. Mary and Kaitlyn will talk about many of the other programs that The Society For Emerging Leaders have started in California to benefit the cause of Pediatric Cancer.

Jacob Orlick is now a senior in High School and making plans to attend Penn State University in the fall. Jacob was 11 when he was diagnosed with the Bone Cancer Ewings Sarcoma, had his right leg amputated, but has been able to live a fulfilling life which includes his work as a Motivational Speaker and his Podcast entitled Motivational Mic. Jacob is hoping that his career path leads him into becoming a Professional Sports Broadcaster. 

Dr. Katerina Levy decided to write her book THE HEALING Garden while she was a resident at the Broward Medical Health Center in South Florida. This book was based on the Healing Garden that she saw while at that Medical Center and is full of strategies that work for kids who are trying to cope with being diagnosed with any form of Pediatric Cancer. Dr. Levy is still in the very early stages of her career as a Pediatric Psychologist.

Being treated terribly by her swimming coach and eventually belittled and made fun of by her teammates, Meghan Macantee was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the fall of 2023, during her sophomore year at SUNY Potsdam where she was a member of the swimming team. Before her diagnosis, Meghan went to the emergency room 11 times where she was also treated poorly. In short, no one believed this wonderful young woman The fact that she was diagnosed with such a difficult form of Pediatric Cancer says it all. Meghan is now doing well health wise and giving back to others with her non-profit MEGHANSMISSIONINC. Meghan never received an apology from any of the people who so terribly wronged her. SHAME ON THEM.

Payton Alexander was living a healthy and normal life for a 14 year old until late in 2017 when she began experiencing symptoms that needed to be checked out. These symptoms led to her diagnosis of Ewings Sarcoma in January of 2018. Payton continued to try and live as good of a life as possible as she joined the Make A Wish and Little Warrior Foundations to try and help other patients suffering from Pediatric Cancer. Payton fought for 3 1/2 years with this Bone Cancer before her passing in November of 2021 when she was 19. Her mom Kim, who talked beautifully about her beloved daughter during our podcast, has been involved in the cause of Pediatric Cancer since Kim's passing, with her Payton Alexander Foundation. 

Tamy Bell's son Griffin was born 3 months prematurely in June of 2017 and 16 months later was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in September of 2018. Griffin relapsed on two occasions after that but then in April of 2023, had a 3rd relapse that was more severe as his cancer had spread to his orbital bone. This relapse took away any realistic hope of further treatment that would help Griffin, and he passed away on March 18th of 2024, 3 months before his 7th birthday,

Sahil Mehta's older brother Ronil wanted to donate his brain to Stanford University after his passing from DIPG in 2018 in the hope that it would help another DIPG Victim in the future. Sahil took this request as his personal responsibility and then got so involved in the cause of Pediatric Cancer that he eventually worked with California Assemblyman Alex Lee to form the bill AB703, that would give the California State Taxpayers the option on their tax forms to check a box that would allow them to donate to the cause of Pediatric Cancer. This bill was fully formed and ready by July of 2025 to have Governor Gavin Newsom sign it into law. California is now only the 8th state in the country to have this provision on their tax form and Sahil is hoping that many other states will join in this effort to bring much more money into the cause of Pediatric Cancer.

Carrigan Nelson was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in March of 2019 and fought for the next 69 months with this form of Pediatric Bone Cancer until her passing on Christmas Day in 2025 when she was 24 years old. Carrigan was a truly Iconic young woman who did so much for the cause of Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer and was beloved by everyone that knew her. A very well accomplished Singer, Dancer, and Artist, she looked at life with Joy and nothing mattered to her more than trying to inspire other young patients with her singing and reaching out in compassion to help others in any way possible. Her mom Tammy, her Aunt Bonnie, and her greatest friends Deaven Pierpoint, Hannah Nasser, and Madison Quinn will talk about their beloved daughter, niece, and friend in this Tribute To Carrigan.

Tony Garcia will talk about his early in life Pediatric Cancer battle which began in 1973 when he was diagnosed with Leukemia  when he was 2 1/2 years old. Tony's treatment finally ended nearly 10 years later in 1983 and since that time he has been doing as well as possible for the past 43 years, as a long term Pediatric Cancer survivor. Now 55 years old, Tony just published his first book (memoir) at the end of January called MY CHILDHOOD CUT SHORT. SURVIVING LEUKEMIA AND FINDING PURPOSE BEOND PAIN. Tony also is involved in supporting Pediatric Cancer patients through fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy work. 

Sydney Leandro was 5 years old on Easter Sunday of 2020 when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Now at age 11, Sydney is feeling and doing well and is able to live a good life. In 2025 her brother Jack, who is now 9 years old, decided to start a non-profit called PUCKS FOR BUCKS in which he shot approximately 200 pucks a day from his driveway into a hockey goal and raised $1.00 for each puck he shot, which he donated in Sydney's honor and to help other Pediatric Cancer Patients. He donated this money to the A Wish Come True Non- Profit which had treated the Leandro family to a trip to San Diego in 2023. Jack will continue his non profit after his current hockey season ends and will begin from where he left off last summer in which he had totaled 10,027 pucks shot.