We’re teaming up with Cook Children’s and The Blast to make sure kids and families facing childhood cancer never have to walk this road alone.

On July 5, 2025, at just 15 years old, Jake was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

It felt like it came out of nowhere. Jake had barely been sick a day in his life. What started as random, unexplained bruising and tiny red spots on his legs quickly turned into the words no parent is ever prepared to hear:

“Your child has cancer.”

The shock is indescribable. Your mind races.

How is this happening to our family?

Will my child survive this?

How will we survive this — emotionally, financially?

What do all these numbers even mean?

From the very first night in the ER, Cook Children’s became our safe place — and soon, our second home. A nurse who had survived childhood cancer himself encouraged Jake that first night. Oncology nurses on the 5th floor quietly made my bed when I couldn’t even form sentences, much less put sheets on a mattress.

From day one, we were told, “We’ve got you.”

And they have proven that over and over again.

The cleaning staff. The food service workers. Care partners. Social workers. Educational specialists. Child Life. Nurses. Oncologists. Every single person in between. They have comforted us during the hardest moments and celebrated alongside us in the victories.

Because of ongoing research, carefully developed and evidence-based treatment protocols, and the incredible care provided at Cook Children’s, Jake achieved remission just 28 days after diagnosis.

With leukemia, remission doesn’t mean the fight is over — it means the real marathon begins. He still has a long road of treatment ahead to prevent recurrence and keep cancer away. But we face that road with confidence because of the team walking it with us.

The Blast raises money for pediatric cancer research, treatment, and care — ensuring families like ours continue to receive world-class support and life-saving advancements.

Every dollar truly matters in the mission to #BlastAwayCancer.

Please consider donating to help us reach our goal. Even better — join our team and walk with us on Saturday, March 28.

Let’s show these kids they are never fighting alone.

#blastawaycancer