A Letter from Sophie
ANYONE can make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer—just ask Sophie! Read about her creative fundraising efforts below. You, too, can join the fight against childhood cancer. Just click the button to learn more!Help Us Rally
“I never imagined we would face childhood cancer.”
WRITTEN BY RALLY MOM KELLYANN I never, ever imagined we would face cancer. Let alone, childhood cancer. My son Nolan was eight years old when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on February 18, 2019, at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Scottish Rite. Nolan had been experiencing pain in his leg when, after seeing an orthopedist and receiving x-rays, he was referred the hospital for an MRI then a biopsy. It was supposed to take 3-5 days for results but, in a matter of moments in that post-operating room, our world crumbled when we were told that Nolan had osteosarcoma, a bone cancer. As we would come to learn, osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents; it typically occurs in patients under the age of 25. The survival prognosis for a child with osteosarcoma is about 70-75% but drops even lower to 20-30% in the event of a relapse. Needless to...
Rally Foundation Announces Young Investigator Recipients of its Largest-Ever Grant Awards
We are living in unprecedented times. As the world grapples with a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing seems normal or constant—but that really isn’t true. Childhood cancer remains a constant. At Rally, every day we are hearing about new diagnoses, relapses and even kids dying from cancer. You know what else remains constant? The commitment of the Rally Foundation Board of Directors, Advisors, supporters, and staff to fund the best cutting-edge childhood cancer research—even in these unprecedented times. Last year, Rally made a commitment to fund two $300K Career Development Grants to Young Investigators, in an effort to propel and advance their research to a point where they would receive federal funding. A Young Investigator is sometimes called junior faculty. These amazing individuals are between one and seven years post their pediatric oncologist fellowship...
Words of Wisdom from a Brain Tumor Mom
In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, I asked Melissa Mott—one of my favorite Brain Tumor Moms—a few questions. I really enjoy her posts on Facebook. More times than not, they make me laugh and made me think at the same time. Melissa is the mom of Rally Kid Anna who was diagnosed with a pineoblastoma six years ago. Anna has beat her brain tumor, but side effects from her disease and treatment including blindness, short-term memory loss, mobility problems, hearing loss, permanent hair loss and stomach and endocrine issues. The brain tumor not only robbed Anna of her sight, but also of a future as the prima ballerina she was well on her way to becoming. Because of her radiation and chemotherapy treatments, Anna is at risk for secondary cancers, early menopause and bone loss. She must be constantly monitored and undergo MRIs annually to check for tumor recurrence. With Melissa’s...
Rally Kid Chandler fought cancer to become a nurse. Now she’ll fight COVID-19 on the front lines.
In the wake of COVID-19, International Nurses Day feels more important than ever. Around the world, these healthcare providers are risking their lives to give patients the lifesaving treatments they need. We are forever grateful for their sacrifices and unwavering dedication during these dark times. Over the years at Rally, we’ve witnessed time and time again the integral role that nurses play in the care and well-being of our Rally Kids. During a global pandemic, the importance of nurses is amplified—but the truth is, they always were (and will be) an invaluable part of our healthcare system. Rally Kid Chandler understood this and felt it deeply during her long and brutal battle with cancer. She was so passionate about nursing, in fact, that she opted to pursue a career as a pediatric oncology nurse. Today, Chandler not only beat cancer but has graduated from nursing school and will...
The Gift of Tomorrow
By June Gossling The gift of tomorrow. This phrase echoes in my mind as I attempt to put thoughts to paper about this week’s Giving Tuesday Now. My husband, Michael, and I are often given the opportunity to share with others the story of our son, Grant, who battled neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. The research grant that Rally is trying to fund today has special meaning to us. Just a few days ago we were able to share Grant’s story via Zoom with a team of researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It is always a joyous call to let a scientist know that their ideas, their research, their hopes for the future of childhood cancer are being funded. Rally’s fiscal year has just closed and although over $3 million of research is being funded, there are researchers with incredible scores who received notice that, even though their project scored well, Rally did...
A Letter from Sophie
ANYONE can make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer—just ask Sophie! Read about her creative fundraising efforts below. You, too, can join the fight against childhood cancer. Just click the button to learn more!Help Us Rally
“I never imagined we would face childhood cancer.”
WRITTEN BY RALLY MOM KELLYANN I never, ever imagined we would face cancer. Let alone, childhood cancer. My son Nolan was eight years old when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on February 18, 2019, at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Scottish Rite. Nolan had been experiencing pain in his leg when, after seeing an orthopedist and receiving x-rays, he was referred the hospital for an MRI then a biopsy. It was supposed to take 3-5 days for results but, in a matter of moments in that...
Rally Foundation Announces Young Investigator Recipients of its Largest-Ever Grant Awards
We are living in unprecedented times. As the world grapples with a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing seems normal or constant—but that really isn’t true. Childhood cancer remains a constant. At Rally, every day we are hearing about new diagnoses, relapses and even kids dying from cancer. You know what else remains constant? The commitment of the Rally Foundation Board of Directors, Advisors, supporters, and staff to fund the best cutting-edge childhood cancer...
Words of Wisdom from a Brain Tumor Mom
In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, I asked Melissa Mott—one of my favorite Brain Tumor Moms—a few questions. I really enjoy her posts on Facebook. More times than not, they make me laugh and made me think at the same time. Melissa is the mom of Rally Kid Anna who was diagnosed with a pineoblastoma six years ago. Anna has beat her brain tumor, but side effects from her disease and treatment including blindness, short-term memory loss, mobility problems, hearing loss, permanent hair loss...
Rally Kid Chandler fought cancer to become a nurse. Now she’ll fight COVID-19 on the front lines.
In the wake of COVID-19, International Nurses Day feels more important than ever. Around the world, these healthcare providers are risking their lives to give patients the lifesaving treatments they need. We are forever grateful for their sacrifices and unwavering dedication during these dark times. Over the years at Rally, we’ve witnessed time and time again the integral role that nurses play in the care and well-being of our Rally Kids. During a global pandemic, the importance of nurses is...
The Gift of Tomorrow
By June Gossling The gift of tomorrow. This phrase echoes in my mind as I attempt to put thoughts to paper about this week’s Giving Tuesday Now. My husband, Michael, and I are often given the opportunity to share with others the story of our son, Grant, who battled neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. The research grant that Rally is trying to fund today has special meaning to us. Just a few days ago we were able to share Grant’s story via Zoom with a team of researchers from...