Dean’s Reflections

Dear William

by Dean Crowe | May 22, 2021

Dear William, There are so many memories. So many. You were the inspiration for Rally. The first Rally Kid. Your driveway was the prayer circle driveway. The driveway where, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at 9:30, God took a minimum of six to as many as 15 women on an unbelievable journey to pray you and your family through your first relapse with medulloblastoma—a pediatric brain tumor. We were an interesting crew made up mainly of baseball moms from all different faiths, denominations, neighborhoods and schools. We had ladies who “named it and claimed it” and ladies who said, “This is God’s will” and ladies who said, “We just don’t get it, Lord” and ladies who never said a word but faithfully showed up. Where Rally Started From your driveway to your hospital room, Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research was birthed. Rally was never about one kid, one type of...

Building a Bridge: Expediating and Advancing Pediatric Brain Tumor Research

by Dean Crowe | May 10, 2021

When to Build a New Bridge I love Rally. I love all the unique opportunities it provides—like building a bridge. Who knew? But first, a little background. A few weeks ago, my husband Reid and his good friend Marty built a bridge across the creek in our backyard. The landscape and topography around the creek changed through the years, and our low-profile bridge had washed away. So, to get to the other side of the creek, Reid would put on his waders and trudge across the water. It wasn’t very efficient, but it worked. The new bridge is higher, sturdier and stronger. It makes crossing to the other side much easier. And now that we can get to the other side of the creek, guess what? There is more work to be done in that part of the yard. Today at Rally, we have a unique opportunity to build a bridge together, so some very important work can be done on the other side. How cool is that?...

“See You On Monday”

by Dean Crowe | Mar 15, 2021

A year ago Friday I looked at the Rally staff and said, “See you on Monday.” On Saturday, I spent the day doing research on COVID-19. By Saturday night I was looking up best practices for working from home. On Sunday, I called the leadership team together. Within two hours we had three Zoom accounts and a meeting scheduled with the whole team. I told the Rally team we would be sheltering in place and meeting by Zoom each morning and afternoon. I broke the news that we would not have any of our three scheduled Rally On the Runway events and that the advocacy team would not be going to Washington, D.C. the next week as planned. I shared that we were going to take our inspiration from our Rally families, who adjust and readjust almost on a daily basis without seemingly missing a beat. One team member said, “Childhood cancer isn’t going to take a break because of this pandemic, and neither...

Adjust, Readjust and Hope

by Dean Crowe | Jan 8, 2021

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

by Dean Crowe | Dec 17, 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...

Rally On for Osteosarcoma Research

by Dean Crowe | Aug 4, 2020

During this pandemic, my mantra has been “adjust and readjust.” I have shared that I learned this from the Rally families who never cease to amaze me with how often and quickly they adjust and readjust. Today, I stand in awe of 17-year-old Rally Kid Amanda and how she has adjusted and readjusted. Less than a year ago, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. She was a junior in high school at the time. Amanda has endured so much: a horrific, intense and painful treatment protocol that has not gone smoothly, surgery to remove part of her leg and replace it with a titanium rod, a full knee replacement and the loss of her hair. Amanda met two other teenage girls, Ellie and Catherine, who were also fighting the osteosarcoma beast. They become the “Osteo Trio”—supporting each other and becoming great friends. A couple months ago, the Osteo Trio lost one of their own,...

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Dean’s Reflections

Dear William

Building a Bridge: Expediating and Advancing Pediatric Brain Tumor Research

“See You On Monday”

Adjust, Readjust and Hope

A Letter from Dean – December 2020

Rally On for Osteosarcoma Research

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Dean’s Reflections

Dear William

Building a Bridge: Expediating and Advancing Pediatric Brain Tumor Research

“See You On Monday”

Adjust, Readjust and Hope

A Letter from Dean – December 2020

Rally On for Osteosarcoma Research

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