Strong, Kind & Determined to Beat Soft Tissue Cancer: Meet Rally Kid Keren

A vivacious 12-year-old, Rally Kid Keren loves being active and enjoys everything from soccer and swimming to cheering on her favorite Atlanta sports teams. She’s also a bit of a foodie and describes a “Thanksgiving feast” as part of her perfect day. The other important thing to know about Keren? She’s determined not to let her cancer diagnosis slow her down.

Back in 2017, Keren developed a growth on her foot that turned out to be rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancerous tumor that occurs in soft tissue. “It was the worst day of my life,” she says of her diagnosis, which took her away from friends, school and her favorite activities. Tough treatments and surgeries followed, ultimately leading to the loss of her leg.

Despite the hardships throughout her cancer journey, Keren remains positive and draws support from her parents Kelly and Jonathan, her older brother Jacob, and her younger sister Lyla. Collectively, their goal is to live life to the fullest and make the most of their moments together. She also looks to Rally for support and is thankful for the special events, hospital visits and the time spent with her and her siblings.

“It’s important for people to donate to childhood cancer research,” said mom Kelly. “It’s so underfunded and because there are many different subtypes of childhood cancer, it’s not at the top of the list [for funding].”

As we approach the end of 2019, help us make a difference for kids like Keren who are battling the brutal childhood cancer beast. When you donate to Rally Foundation, you’re helping fund research for better treatments with fewer long term side effects, and hopefully one day, a cure.