This is Nolan's Story:

 

For those who don’t know Nolan, he is an energetic 8-year-old who rarely sits still. When we learned in July 2025 that he had leukemia, we were overwhelmed. To then learn he was high-risk and required months of inpatient treatment because the treatment didn’t put him into remission as they expected, we were devastated. Children’s became an important part of our life. Child Life, nurses, the art studio, library, and Healing Garden gave him places to play, create, explore, and connect. They gave us sanity too. The best people to lean on during the worst year. Nolan quickly became known for riding his scooter through the halls and ending each day by hugging his “family of nurses” goodnight.

Leukemia changed an entire year of Nolan’s childhood. He spent approximately 106 days in the hospital, endured about 52 port access pokes, 9 surgeries, countless medications, and an unreal number of vital checks.

Now he is in remission. He is home and back at school, returning to the routines he missed — sleeping in his own bed, playing outside, and spending time with family and friends. He is catching up academically and reconnecting socially, while returning to the energetic, independent kid he has always been. After everything he experienced, watching Nolan return to everyday life is deeply meaningful.

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This is Elena's Story:

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Four-year-old Elena was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on November 18th, 2025. After a 32-day stay at Children's National involving several chemos, steroids, biopsies, and spinal taps, she was discharged just in time for Christmas. Doctors noted that while her cancer is a more favorable type, it will require a minimum of two and a half years of treatment.

 

Since that first "Induction" cycle, she has progressed through most of the intensive first year of treatment, completing Consolidation, Blinatumomab Block I, Interim Maintenance, and Blinatumomab Block II. Each cycle has required weekly clinic appointments at Children's National as well as scheduled hospital admissions. She has also had several unscheduled admissions this year due to chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and infection risk.

 

Elena has been MRD negative since February, meaning doctors can no longer detect any leukemia cells in her bone marrow. She is currently wrapping up a heavy cycle called "Delayed Intensification" and is looking forward to reaching the Maintenance cycle in December, which involves a less intensive treatment plan. This will be a major milestone for Elena and her family.

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This is Opal's Story: 

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Opal’s journey began at birth when doctors discovered her bilirubin levels were dangerously elevated. After weeks of testing, procedures, and a liver biopsy, she was diagnosed at just 3 months old with Neonatal Sclerosing Cholangitis (NSC)—an extremely rare and aggressive liver disease. NSC progressed to Stage 4 cirrhosis, and her liver began to fail. At just 13 months old, on May 8, 2026, Opal received a lifesaving liver transplant from her amazing living donor, Jordan Myers, giving her a second chance at life.

But the transplant was not the end—it was the beginning of a new chapter. Since then, Opal has faced complications, hospitalizations, illnesses, medication challenges, and concerning liver numbers. At four months post-transplant, she underwent another liver biopsy because of concerns for rejection. Thankfully, she was NOT in rejection.
 

Today, Opal continues to face lifelong medications, labs, appointments, and monitoring to protect her new liver. Through every needle, procedure, hospital stay, and scary day, she continues to fight. She is our Warrior Princess. She is here. She is growing. She is laughing. She is playing. And she reminds us every day just how incredibly strong one little girl can be.