Meet Avarie diagnosed with Acute Pre B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia

13 year old Avarie, who also likes to go by “Stinks,” is a spirited young man with a fun personality and a big heart. Like many boys his age, Avarie enjoys basketball and football, especially the 49ers. He also enjoys spending time with his siblings and older cousin.

In March of 2018, Avarie and his family sadly learned that he had been diagnosed with Acute Pre B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Despite this devastating news, Avarie has continued to stay optimistic and is even thinking of ways he can help other children and their families going through a similar experience. Avarie created his own t-shirt brand that he calls Worst Effective. The inspiration behind the brand name comes from his personal experience. Avarie feels he has taken a very negative situation and has turned it into something that can have a positive impact on other children and their families.

Two of our Family Navigators had the pleasure of meeting Avarie and his family while delivering our signature ‘Hope Chest’ to them at the hospital. It was immediately clear to our Family Navigators how strong and resilient Avarie and his family are. Although his circumstances are incredibly difficult, ‘Stinks’ remains positive and optimistic while keeping his humor and amazing personality.

 

Meet Keaton’s Kiddo Emily

In honor of Brain Cancer Awareness Month, we’d like to introduce you to Keaton’s Kiddo Emily, a remarkable young fighter who has been part of our Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance family since 2018. “Our journey began in Aug 2018, Emily our 8-year-old was waking up everyday with headaches and throwing up in the morning. After a CT Scan, we were told a MRI was needed as they saw a mass in her brain. Worse fear ever is hearing they found a mass, and you would need to be admitted….

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A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Incredible Partners for Your Generosity!

Thanks to your support, a family preparing for a four-month stay in the Bay Area for a life-saving stem cell transplant now has the essential items they need, including diapers, Visa gift cards, luggage, and clothing. Your kindness allows them to focus entirely on their child’s treatment without the added burden of securing basic necessities.

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Honoring Joy on National Down Syndrome Day

Today, on National Down Syndrome Day, we recognize that children with Down Syndrome are 10 to 20 times more likely to develop leukemia. This unique connection between childhood cancer and Down Syndrome—a reality for many families, including our beloved Keaton’s Kiddo, Joy.

While the focus is understandably on the child battling cancer, siblings face their own emotional challenges. They may experience feelings of worry, fear, confusion, or even guilt, and it’s important to acknowledge their role and provide support for them as well.

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