Creating Smiles for Kids with Cancer

Hi, my name is Daniella Tadeo and I grew up in Miami, Florida. I started this nonprofit because cancer changed my family’s life in a way I will never forget. My brother and my grandpa both fought this terrible disease, and I watched as the hospital slowly drained the light from their eyes. It wasn’t just the treatments; it was the way cancer made them feel like they were nothing more than their illness. Yet, they weren’t just cancer patients; they were people with dreams, laughter, and so much life left to live. But in the hospital, there was no escape from the beeping machines, the sterile walls, and the endless waiting. They longed for a place to feel normal, to have fun, to forget just for a moment that they were sick. That’s why I created this organization: to give children battling cancer a space where they can play, dream, and feel like kids again. Because no child should ever feel like they are just their disease. They deserve joy, hope, and a place where they can be more than a patient.