My name is Casey and I recently graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing!

Since my brain tumor diagnosis on August 31, 2006 at age 16, I have been on the adventure of a lifetime (not exactly the one I would have chosen for myself). I could not survive without the support of my family and friends. The support of strangers from all over the country has been a huge surprise and it is so encouraging to me. The more I learned about pediatric cancer, the more depressed I became not just for myself but for all my little friends at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) where I am being treated. I learned that nationally, less than 3% of all government-funded cancer research dollars goes to pediatrics and unfortunately only a small percent of that funding is used for brain tumor research. That is why my friends and I decided to raise money for pediatric brain tumor research at Lurie Children’s. They are doing research to find new and safer treatments for children with brain cancers.

Brain tumors are the deadliest form of childhood cancer. Even non-malignant brain tumors can kill children. Although survival rates for some childhood brain tumors have increased, survivors often suffer from lifelong side effects of radiation and chemotherapy.

More research is needed to save the lives of children. Funding is crucial to finding a cure. That’s why my friends and I decided to be a part of the cure—and so my fundraiser was born in May 2007. Please consider making a donation and helping kids with cancer. The proceeds from t-shirt sales and 100% of all donations go directly to Lurie Children’s Hospital.

December 2013

We can make a difference!