Uniting for Change: A Powerful Week of Childhood Cancer Awareness and Action

The week of September 15th in Washington, DC was an extraordinary journey of advocacy and awareness for childhood cancer.

We began with the Childhood Cancer Priority Roundtable organized by  Stephanie McMahon’s Childhood Cancer Convening. Patient advocates, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and families were all in the room together with a mission to accelerate progress for children with cancer. Deep gratitude to Danielle Leach and her team for leading such a clear, action-driven workshop.

The Rally for Research organized by the American Association for Cancer Research , followed by the Childhood Cancer Caucus, highlighted how united voices have advanced science and policy in recent years and why it is vital to keep showing up year after year.

At the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2) Reception, I was honored to represent our community as a board member and highlight CAC2’s mission. Meeting adult survivors of childhood cancer and hearing about the late effects of treatment was a powerful reminder of how far we still need to go.

CureFest brought thousands together on Freedom Plaza and the Washington Monument. Standing among 1,800 pairs of shoes at the Shoe Memorial, each representing a child’s life lost every year, was deeply moving and underscored the urgency of our work.

Alongside my advocacy, I was proud to represent LivAi Inc. The conversations reinforced the need for bold visions in progress, and I believe AI has a critical role to play by putting smarter tools into the hands of oncologists and helping to transform outcomes for children with cancer.

A week marked by hope, heartbreak, and the power of community. Above all, I was moved by the strength of young voices urging Congress to make childhood cancer a true priority. They should be in playgrounds, not in the halls of Capitol Hill explaining why their lives matter.

As Mithil would say: “We can do better.” 

Let us continue to move forward this research and patient support. Join us on December 7th at 4pm in the Corinthian Grand Ballroom in downtown San Jose for Mithil Prasad Foundation’s 8th Annual Fundraising Gala for DIPG, or consider donating to the cause. Together, we can turn empathy into action. https://www.mithilprasadfoundation.org/events

#EndChildhoodCancer #Advocacy #MithilPrasadFoundation