Our Mission
Brave Like McKenna empowers children and families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis and supports pediatric cancer research. The Brave Like McKenna Foundation’s proceeds will raise awareness, help bridge the research funding gap and meet the needs of children and families faced with pediatric cancer.
The Pillars of Our Mission
Child & Family Support
From the first day of McKenna’s diagnosis, family, friends, and the community sprang into action to help. Throughout her battle, McKenna received care packages and some of the most treasured keepsakes. Additionally, various foundations, community members, and organizations stepped in to support the Royer family with financial needs. However, we recognize that not all families receive this level of support.
Many families experience a 40% loss in income due to one or more parents needing to become the primary caregiver. Depending on where the family lives in the U.S., access to children’s hospitals may be limited, requiring them to travel long distances for treatment, which often leads to separation from loved ones. Moreover, due to regulatory processes and legislative oversight, some treatments may not be covered by insurance at all. These increased burdens can have long-term effects on families, including a diminished quality of life and the risk of losing their homes, cars, and jobs altogether.
Brave Like McKenna is committed to reducing the emotional and financial burdens on the child fighting cancer, as well as their caregivers and siblings, during the most challenging times of their lives. We provide financial assistance to families from all walks of life who have faced a pediatric cancer diagnosis. If you or a loved one is in need of support, please fill out this request for assistance form.
Brave Like McKenna’s comfort packs and financial aid are made possible by generous donors like you. If you or your organization would like to host a comfort pack drive, please fill out the contact form on our website and we will be in touch.
Advocacy
Everyone has a voice, and we are dedicated to using ours to spread awareness about the lack of funding for pediatric cancer and to advocate for legislative changes at the local, state, and federal levels. During McKenna’s fight, we quickly realized the severe lack of treatment options available for children with pediatric cancer. In McKenna’s case, the standard of care was over 40 years old and non-curative. There is an opportunity to do so much better for these children — and together, we can make our voices heard.
Our founder, Janell, has already traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Brainstorm Summit and Curefest, raising her voice to fight for McKenna and all the other children battling cancer. This is just the beginning, as we continue to work with local and state governments to push for legislative changes.
There are many ways for you to get involved — from simple actions like letter writing, speaking at local events, and sharing McKenna’s story on social media or in your community. Visit our “Get Involved” tab to learn more about how you can raise your voice.
Research
With government funding for pediatric cancer research at less than 4%, researchers heavily rely on Moms, Dads, and community members like you to raise the capital needed to fund grants and advance critical research. When selecting our partners and deciding what to fund, we always prioritize the child’s quality of life.
We believe that children like McKenna should have access to the treatments they need while still having the chance to be kids. This means more days at home with family, doing the things they love, and fewer days spent in hospitals or traveling long distances for treatment.
Future Goals: As we grow our reach and revenue through support from donors like you, we will continue to partner with other foundations that have dedicated scientific review committees. Our focus will be on broad-scope research aimed at removing barriers, bottlenecks, and obstacles, streamlining processes to accelerate progress.
Collaboration Pledge: We pledge to work with researchers committed to collaboration. We understand that research can be slow, but by partnering with other institutions and investigators, we can advance progress more quickly.
Year One Milestone: In our first year of operation, we joined the DDRFA Alliance alongside 50 other foundations. This grant funding is specific to DIPG/DMG research. DDRFA grants support basic and translational research, access to clinical trials or expanded access programs, and the collection, harmonization, integration, and utilization of patient data, which is shared openly.