Tracy Ryan will talk about her 14 year old daughter Sophie and how she has been doing over the past 5 years in her battle with an Optic Pathway Glioma, after having Tracy on my podcast in 2021 to discuss Sophie's original diagnosis.

5 year old Aiden Graham had original symptoms of headaches and eye pain , followed by a fever, a lingering cough, and bruising in the fall of 2022. Aiden was then diagnosed with B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and began his treatment. Aiden went through a difficult period of treatment in which his main highlight was to be able to meet the Men's hockey team at the University of Delaware along with meeting Philadelphia Flyers Goaltender Dan Vladar. Aiden was able to ring the bell at Nemours Hospital in March of 2025 and is now both doing and feeling well. 

Summer Dale was 15 years old in October of 2011 when a persistent pain in her hip was finally diagnosed as Epitheloid Sarcoma . At that time Summer had a very low opinion of herself on many levels but while beginning her Sarcoma treatment she decided that she needed to understand that although she had a difficult cancer to battle, there were other pediatric cancer patients that were in worse condition then she was. Summer decided to give to others by purchasing gifts and giving them to her fellow patients and this started Team Summer, which is a gift giving foundation that her mom Lynne runs today, 14 years since Summer's passing in November of 2012 when she was 16 years old. Summer's attitude about herself did a 180 turn after she found her mission of giving was so important.

Tracy Ryans daughter Sophie was diagnosed with a slow growing Pediatric Brain Tumor known as an Optic Pathway Glioma when she was 8 1/2 months old in 2013.. Now Sophie is 14 years old, and is doing well after experiencing an occurrence of this cancer earlier this year . Since June, Sophie has been taking a prescription targeted medication known as OJEMDA which has drastically reduced the size of the tumors in her eyes and in her spine and is on her way to recovery. 

Trista Baker will talk about her 12 year son Dres who she rushed to the University of Vermont Medical Center after he quickly became very ill in May of 2012. Dres had his blood pressure taken and it was 58/78. The doctor said he had the flu. Trista demanded bloodwork  and finally it was taken but it took 17 times to get a proper  reading because he was so dehydrated. 3 hours later, the bloodwork came back but the doctor refused to read it because he said that Dres just had the flu. 3 days later, Dres was diagnosed with a form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia that no one had survived from. Dres passed away in May of 2015 when he was 14 years old. 

5 year old Cole Owens seemed perfectly healthy in 2006 until his mom Laura felt something that did not seem right on his stomach. This led to his diagnosis of a Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor, known as DSRCT which is a soft tissue sarcoma. Cole lived for nearly 9 years after his diagnosis and since his passing in 2015, Laura has been an amazing advocate for this form of cancer. .

Genevieve Lowry knew when she was student at Wheelock College that she wanted to pursue a career as a Certified Child Life Specialist. Not only has Genevieve had a more than excellent professional career in this important field, she has also done it in a decidedly entrepreneurial manner. Genevieve combines a traditional focus on working with Pediatric Cancer patients and their families with unique methods that are outside the box but have proven to be very successful.

4 year old Brooke Healey was at her Aunt's house and her father Steve noticed that her hand was shaking. Not too far after that, her mom Stefani brought Brooke to get her hand looked at and then came the diagnosis of DIPG. Brooke lived for 8 months after her January 2013 diagnosis and passed away 8 months later, after going through very difficult treatment which left no room for the so called Honeymoon period. Both Steve and Stefani have been dedicating much of their time to the cause of DIPG for over a decade with their Brooke Healey Foundation and Steve's work on the DIPG/DMG Collaborative.

Elizabeth Lowman was able to share with us a true success story as her daughter Austen, who was diagnosed with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma before her 5th birthday in 2017, went through 6 months of treatment, now is a soon to be 14 year old 8th grader who has been able to lead as normal of a life as possible over 8 years since her original diagnosis. It is always great to be able to publish successful journeys of kids and their families who have been through a Pediatric Cancer experience. 

By the time she turned 6 years old, Lilly Moss had already been through her struggle with Leukemia which she was diagnosed with in 2008 when she was 3 years old and had started vocal lessons, and two years later she started playing the piano. By the time she was 16 Lilly had started writing her own songs and now, just 5 years later at the age of 21, Lilly is one of the rising stars as a singer/songwriter in the world of Country Music. Lilly is also a very committed advocate and voice for the cause of Pediatric Cancer.

Tony Garcia is now a 43 year survivor of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and has become an activist and advocate for the cause of Pediatric Cancer. Tony is a second time podcast guest and he will update us on the past 6 months in which his book is now available at both St. Judes and MD Anderson for patients and visitor reading in both Spanish and English, and has had a very successful book signing which had lines out the door in his hometown of Brownsville, Texas,