What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of blood cancer that causes an overproduction of white blood cells. These cells grow abnormally and can build up in the blood and bone marrow, leaving less room for healthy white and red blood cells as well as platelets. CML is commonly associated with a genetic mutation called the Philadelphia chromosome. While CML is very rare in children, with about 150 pediatric cases in the U.S. each year, it’s often more aggressive in kids than it is in adults. CML accounts for 2% of leukemias in children under 15 years and 9% in those 15-19 years old. CML is a lifelong cancer, and there is no known cure—yet. But drug development has made CML a ‘manageable’ cancer for most. Signs and Symptoms of CML Like many childhood cancers, CML symptoms can vary depending on the phase of the disease. Anemia, infections, fevers, fatigue, bruising, swelling or feelings...
Adjust, Readjust and Hope
By: Dean Crowe, Founder & CEO Last year, when COVID-19 hit, I thought about our Rally families and how they handle everything that is thrown at them—which is a lot. Over and over, I have watched them adjust and readjust. Trying to learn from the best, I drew inspiration from these brave people in 2020. "Adjust and readjust” became my personal mantra and Rally’s theme for the year. Adjust and readjust we did. I have to be honest; it is a good game plan. It served Rally exceptionally well, as I shared in my year-end letter. Personally, the mantra served me well, too—especially on Christmas Eve. For as long as I can remember, Reid and I have hosted a large Christmas Eve dinner at our home. It is a tradition that our family and friends look forward to each year. We typically kick off the festivities when the Rohrbachs—whose daughter, Alexa, was the second Rally Kid—stop by for a glass...
A Letter from Dean – December 2020
Thank you for opening this letter. And for caring about kids fighting cancer. What a year. We can all agree that 2020 is not a year we will soon forget. When the pandemic struck, I thought about the Rally Kids and their families. Their “normal” is living with an immunocompromised child, yet I have always been inspired and in awe of their ability to adjust and readjust. So personally, and at Rally, I took my cue from them. Our theme became adjust and readjust. And that is what we did. Like many businesses and non-profits, when 2020 started, we were projected to have a record-breaking year. In March, when we sheltered in place to flatten the COVID-19 curve, Rally had to cancel four major fundraising events that were projected to raise $1.5 million. In spite of all that was going on, the Rally Board of Directors stayed committed to our mission and voted to award $3.3 million to 59...
Helping Childhood Cancer Families Carry The Weight
When you donate to Rally, you fund much-needed childhood cancer research—but there’s more to it. Childhood cancer changes EVERYTHING. It affects the entire family dynamic. It also changes the family’s support system. When your “new normal” includes multiple hospital stays and isolation to protect immune systems, relationships will naturally suffer. By giving to Rally, you help us stand beside families when they can no longer stand on their own. Brigitte is mom to Rally Kid Briley, who is beating acute lymphoblastic leukemia after 2.5 years of harsh treatment. Brigitte shared how childhood cancer affected their family—both personally and socially—and how Rally helped them carry the weight. Walking through a childhood cancer diagnosis feels like an invasion. If asked to describe it in a few words, I would say HEAVY, LIFE-CHANGING and HEARTBREAKING. Without our Rally family by our side,...
Rally Kid Lex Dreams of Being a Hematology Oncologist
Why do we Rally for Childhood Cancer Research? The simple answer is #ForTheirFuture. When we fund the best and most promising research studies, our deepest hope is that we’ll find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects, and one day, a cure for all childhood cancers. Rally, with your help, gives hope to all of the kids and families who are bravely battling childhood cancer, so they can dream of a future without harmful treatments, endless hospital stays and pain (both mental and physical) that lasts long after the cancer has gone. Rally Kid Lex is one of those children who has always had big dreams for the future, and if you’ve been following along with his story, you probably know that he’s not the type of kid to let cancer get in the way. After being diagnosed with ALL, the most common childhood cancer, Lex and his family knew they had a long battle ahead of them. His...
How Rally Kid Lex Stays Positive While Battling Cancer During a Global Pandemic
What’s it like to be battling childhood cancer during a global pandemic? For Rally Kid Lex, who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), COVID-19 has presented a new set of challenges that no one was expecting. Cancer treatment was already hard enough—now Lex, along with countless other immunocompromised kids, has to take extra precautions to avoid getting sick. Why? Cancer treatment suppresses the body’s immune system, making kids like Lex more vulnerable to catching illnesses and making it more difficult for them to recover as well. These extra precautions haven’t been easy on Lex or his family. “When Lex was first diagnosed, we had the support of the community,” shared Lex’s mom, Ashley. “They would bring us meals and visit Lex, but when COVID hit, all of that stopped because we just didn’t know what was safe and what wasn’t.” The concept of social distancing...
What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)?
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of blood cancer that causes an overproduction of white blood cells. These cells grow abnormally and can build up in the blood and bone marrow, leaving less room for healthy white and red blood cells as well as platelets. CML is commonly associated with a genetic mutation called the Philadelphia chromosome. While CML is very rare in children, with about 150 pediatric cases in the U.S. each year, it’s often more aggressive in kids than it is in adults....
Adjust, Readjust and Hope
By: Dean Crowe, Founder & CEO Last year, when COVID-19 hit, I thought about our Rally families and how they handle everything that is thrown at them—which is a lot. Over and over, I have watched them adjust and readjust. Trying to learn from the best, I drew inspiration from these brave people in 2020. "Adjust and readjust” became my personal mantra and Rally’s theme for the year. Adjust and readjust we did. I have to be honest; it is a good game plan. It served Rally exceptionally well,...
A Letter from Dean – December 2020
Thank you for opening this letter. And for caring about kids fighting cancer. What a year. We can all agree that 2020 is not a year we will soon forget. When the pandemic struck, I thought about the Rally Kids and their families. Their “normal” is living with an immunocompromised child, yet I have always been inspired and in awe of their ability to adjust and readjust. So personally, and at Rally, I took my cue from them. Our theme became adjust and readjust. And that is what we did. Like many...
Helping Childhood Cancer Families Carry The Weight
When you donate to Rally, you fund much-needed childhood cancer research—but there’s more to it. Childhood cancer changes EVERYTHING. It affects the entire family dynamic. It also changes the family’s support system. When your “new normal” includes multiple hospital stays and isolation to protect immune systems, relationships will naturally suffer. By giving to Rally, you help us stand beside families when they can no longer stand on their own. Brigitte is mom to Rally Kid Briley, who is...
Rally Kid Lex Dreams of Being a Hematology Oncologist
Why do we Rally for Childhood Cancer Research? The simple answer is #ForTheirFuture. When we fund the best and most promising research studies, our deepest hope is that we’ll find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects, and one day, a cure for all childhood cancers. Rally, with your help, gives hope to all of the kids and families who are bravely battling childhood cancer, so they can dream of a future without harmful treatments, endless hospital stays and pain (both mental and...
How Rally Kid Lex Stays Positive While Battling Cancer During a Global Pandemic
What’s it like to be battling childhood cancer during a global pandemic? For Rally Kid Lex, who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), COVID-19 has presented a new set of challenges that no one was expecting. Cancer treatment was already hard enough—now Lex, along with countless other immunocompromised kids, has to take extra precautions to avoid getting sick. Why? Cancer treatment suppresses the body’s immune system, making kids like Lex more vulnerable to catching...