Rally Foundation Awards Dr. Jordan Gilleland Marchak the 2025 William Olson Impact Award

ATLANTA – Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research has announced its 2025 William Olson Impact Award recipient, Dr. Jordan Gilleland Marchak of Emory University School of Medicine. This prestigious award is given annually to a Rally-funded researcher who demonstrates exceptional commitment, determination and resilience in caring for children with cancer and advancing research to improve outcomes.

Each year, Rally Foundation’s Board of Directors selects one researcher whose work exemplifies the spirit of the award. Dr. Marchak is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a behavioral scientist at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Her Rally-funded project, “Adolescents and Young Adults Psychosocial Quality of Life Survivorship: Implementing Anxiety & Depression Screening for Young Adult Survivors,” is supported through Rally’s Independent Investigator Grant program. Rally is proud to honor Dr. Marchak’s commitment to improving the mental health and quality of life of childhood cancer survivors.

“I’m deeply grateful for Rally’s support and excited to use this funding to study how to best engage young adults in regular screening for anxiety and depression as part of their ongoing survivorship care. This work is close to my heart, and I believe it’s a vital step toward building a future where young adult survivors are seen, heard, and supported—not just medically, but emotionally,” said Dr. Marchak.

The William Olson Impact Award honors the legacy of William Olson, the inspiration behind the founding of Rally Foundation. Diagnosed with brain cancer as a 17-year-old in 2005, William fought bravely for 11 years. His mother’s request for her friend Dean Crowe to raise money for childhood cancer research led to the creation of Rally Foundation. William became the first Rally Kid, and his memory continues to serve as the foundation’s daily motivation to fund better treatments with fewer long-term side effects.

“I can’t think of a more deserving recipient for this award. Dr. Marchak’s dedication to supporting the mental health and overall well-being of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors truly reflects the spirit of this honor. This is especially meaningful because William was an adolescent and young adult during his own cancer journey, and supporting others in that age group was deeply important to him. Dr. Marchak’s work ensures that young people aren’t just surviving cancer, they’re learning how to thrive beyond it,” shared Dean Crowe, founder and CEO of Rally Foundation.

About Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research:

Every day, 47 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer. Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research (Rally), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, empowers volunteers across the country to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures.

Rally Foundation has awarded $40.5 million in grants since its founding in 2005. Rally Foundation has also successfully advocated for and secured more than $317.5 million from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) given directly to researchers specifically for cancers in children, adolescents and young adults.

Rally Foundation has the highest rankings from Charity Navigator and GuideStar and has received the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence, making it the highest-ranked childhood cancer organization in the world. For every dollar raised, 93 cents supports Rally Foundation’s mission.

To learn more about Rally Foundation, visit www.rallyfoundation.org and follow Rally Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.