Beginning when she was 12 years old, Ali Hornung has taken the role of being an advocate for Pediatric Cancer patients to a new level. She has raised over $200,000 for these kids , started a small business called Miracle Masks in which she created 2500 facemasks with the proceeds going to different pediatric cancer organizations, and started and is the CEO of the Glimmer Of Hope Foundation , in honor and memory of a young woman named Ella Enteglia, who passed away 2 years ago from Leukemia at the age of 14. 

There are a number of other accomplishments that you will hear about in this podcast.

This totally remarkable young woman is really just getting started, as Ali just entered her senior year at the University of Rhode Island. It should not surprise you to know that she is a triple major. 

Within the last 4 years Sarah Milberg has taken on the roles of being a Co Chair for the Alliance for Childhood Cancer and as the Director of Government Relations for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Sarah will discuss these roles and will also talk about her former position as an aide to Missouri Congressman Russ Carnahan, who served in Washington from 2005-2012.  Sarah also gives us great information of some of the innerworkings of trying to deal with Congress, and some of the obstacles that exist while trying to being an advocate for Pediatric Cancer. 
 

Liam Witt lost his battle against Neuroblastoma in 2011 after a 4 year fight against this form of Pediatric Cancer. His mother Gretchen will talk about Liam's life and the non profit Cookies For Kids Cancer which she and her husband Larry started in 2008 in response to the medicine protocols that Liam and other children had to endure during their cancer treatments.

This non profit has had over 13,000 grassroots fundraisers in all 50 states and in 20 countries, has raised $17 million dollars, and has been able to award 110 research grants which have helped to create newer treatments, helping these kids look towards a brighter and healthier future.

At the age of 2 in 1996, Ryan Tomoff was diagnosed with the first of his 3 battles with Leukemia. Ryan relapsed in 2000 and in 2004, before a bone marrow transplant finally set him on his way to beating this form of Pediatric Cancer. 12 years later in 2016 this time at the age of 22, Ryan had 2 bouts with tongue cancer. Since his last diagnosis Ryan has thankfully been free of any form of cancer.

Ryan's mother Terri will talk about her son's journey of 5 cancer battles  and how a community village of people, honesty, and spirituality contributed to how Ryan is doing today, and how the Tomoff family was able to both survive and thrive during such a difficult time which has gone on for almost 25 years.

Terri will also talk about her book FOCUSED FIGHT which details Ryan's life. This book was published in March of 2021 and has drawn rave reviews on Amazon.

Rachel McCallum was diagnosed with the brain cancer Anaplastic Astrocytoma when she was 5 years old in 1993. Now, 28 years later, Rachel will talk about the many difficulties that she has had in trying to lead the best life possible as a long term pediatric cancer survivor. She will discuss both her physical and emotional journey which has taken a big toll on her including physical ailments such as hearing loss , dry eye, and emotional issues that she has had with anxiety, depression, and different forms of grief. 

Tamara Miles lives in Sydney Australia with her husband and 4 sons. Her son Bryson is now 8 years old and 5 years past his diagnosis of Medulloblastoma, and her son Ryder who is 3 1/2  has endured 18 brain surgeries, none of which had anything to do with Pediatric Cancer. Tamara will talk about what has been a very difficult journey for Bryson and Ryder, plus the emotional strain that has affected both her and her husband Grant. 

Tamara will also talk about the problems that the hospitals in Sydney and other places in Australia face , as the government cannot afford to give these hospitals the money that they need to do as much as they can for the cause of Pediatric Cancer. 

Sadie Keller was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 7 years old in February of 2015. Two month later she produced her first video while she was undergoing treatment, because she wanted to make sure that others would not be afraid of this disease. 

Her videos gained national prominence as they were shown by ESPN during their annual tribute to former North Carolina State coach and cancer victim Jim Valvano, whose V Foundation has raised many millions of dollars to fight cancer.

Sadie is now 13 years old, has been to the White House on two occasions on pediatric cancer related matters including a visit to the oval office, has been a guest on several Fox News broadcasts, a guest on the CNN Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, and a guest on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. 

She has also co-written a book with Texas Congressman Mike McCaul entitled Better Angels, and was his guest as a Pediatric Cancer International Ambassador in Botswana Africa just before the Pandemic in February of 2020.

Sadie also is heavily involved in the Sadie Keller Foundation, for which she has created a number of novel programs  as she continues to do what she can to help these kids who are going through their own cancer battles, as she did 6 years ago.

 

Ricardo Garcia's son Richi was diagnosed with high risk Medulloblastoma when he was 6 years old in 2011 and living in Spain. The Garcia family moved to Brookline, Ma. after the diagnosis and now 10 years later, after going through treatment at Boston Children's Hospital and Dana Farber, Richi is doing well and leading a good life. 

Ricardo will talk about Richi's cancer battle, the Richi Childhood Cancer Foundation that he started in 2013, and the Biotech company Onceoheroes Biosciences that he cofounded a few years ago, which is is 100 percent focused on developing new drugs that will help pediatric cancer patients in future years. 

Tatum Fettig will talk about her daughter Teagan and her battle with Medulloblastoma, which she was diagnosed with just after her 2nd birthday in December of 2016. Now 4  1/2 years later Teagen is doing well and is about to enter 1st grade .

Tatum will also discuss the first non profit nationwide APP that she designed, which allows parents of pediatric cancer patients to communicate with one another. This APP has only been available since September of 2020 and promises to allow parents to take advantage of a whole new level of communication, as they meet their fellow peers who are going through the same or similar issues that they are experiencing themselves. 

Heather Serafin was diagnosed with the deadly Pediatric Brain Cancer DIPG when she was 15 years old in October of 2013. Her mother Beth will talk about her daughter who was able to live as full of a life as possible for the next 2 years, before her passing in October of 2015. She left a legacy of inspiration for others that will continue on for many years to come.

Heather was the "Head Cheerleader" for the non profit The H Life that was started with the dual mission of raising funds for pediatric cancer research and helping families who were similarly struggling with a pediatric cancer diagnosis. Although Heather passed away not too long after this non profit was started, she would be very proud to see an expanding non profit, with many different types of COFFEE being the signature product that is sold, along with almost 100 products that you can purchase on line, in honor and memory of Heather.