Dean Crowe

Founder and President

Dean Crowe is the Founder and CEO of the Rally Foundation, a national non-profit organization that funds childhood cancer research through grassroots initiatives. Based in Atlanta, by vision and leadership, Dean works to rally and empower a nationwide group of volunteers, families and friends who desire to help children stricken with cancer. The Rally Foundation raises funds specifically for childhood cancer research in order to find better treatments and cures with fewer long term side effects.

Under Dean’s leadership, Rally Foundation has been recognized with the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence, which upon rigorous review, Rally demonstrated the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness and also proved to run at 93% efficiency. Rally has gained strategic alliances with major US corporations and has funded more than 25 research projects nationwide. In 2008 Dean was selected as one of Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs “Celebrating 100 Extraordinary Women” contest for her significant impact within the community.

Prior to her role with the Rally Foundation, Dean served as the Capital Campaign Director for Young Life’s SharpTop Cove National Camp. Under her leadership more than $8 million dollars was raised the first year. She was responsible for working closely with the Board of Directors, developing marketing materials, writing grants, setting and meeting goals and working with the campaign budgets. Before working as the Capital Campaign Director, Dean worked for the Woodruff Brown Companies in commercial real estate sales. Dean is a published writer and a contributing author in the best selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul. In addition she has spoken in many venues across the country on a variety of subjects including leadership and communication.

Dean previously served as Community Scholarship Chairman on the PTSA Board, was a member of the Junior League, held a position on Georgia’s Young Life Board and also was a part of the Jamaica Ophthalmology Team.

Dean holds a BA in Mass Communications from Auburn University and is Certified Personality Trainer. She is married to Reid Crowe and they have two college-age sons.

Download Dean Crowe’s Executive Bio (PDF)

 
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Meet Tristan

Tristan’s mom shares, “When I was 33 weeks pregnant, a routine sonogram revealed that Tristan had a huge mass in his abdomen. It was so large that the doctors couldn’t tell where it was coming from, and it was in contact with all of his organs and had pushed his heart to the wrong side of his chest. He was taken by emergency c-section a few days later, and was born weighing 3 pounds 12 ounces with 10% of the weight being his tumor. When he was three days old he had his first surgery to remove his primary tumor, which they discovered was originating from his right adrenal gland. While the doctors were making a diagnosis, more and more tumors were popping up in his right lung. When he was just over a month old we found out he had adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), which is a very rare cancer.

ACC is an extremely aggressive and often fatal cancer and Tristan was Stage IV. He had his second surgery soon after to remove the pulmonary tumors and ended up losing 40% of his right lung. For the next year, he was treated with an extremely toxic neurological chemotherapy agent. Since he took it during the first year of his life when his brain was doing so much growing and developing, he had major delays and side effects.

Tristan lost his one adrenal gland during his first surgery and the chemo killed his remaining adrenal gland, giving him Addison’s disease which is also a potentially fatal disease. We deal with the Addison’s one day at a time with daily medications. We found out this summer that he is Autistic so we are once again in unfamiliar territory.

Tristan loves NASCAR, especially Tony Stewart. He spends just about every Sunday rooting for Tony! He loves all sports - baseball, basketball, football, you name it and he likes it! He has been in karate for two years now and is currently an advanced yellow belt. There isn’t much he doesn’t like besides fruits and vegetables!”