Help Brighten Beat Leukemia

Help Brighten Fight Leukemia

Hi, my name is Angelina DeWeese, and I'm organizing this fundraiser for my friends Mandalyn & Don and their incredible 9-year-old son, Brighten.

My daughter is in Brighten’s class, and over the past two years, I’ve come to know him as a bright, joyful, and creative soul who lights up any room he’s in. His diagnosis of leukemia has sent shockwaves through all of us who love and care about him.

Mandalyn and her partner Don are now navigating every parent’s worst nightmare—and doing so with tremendous courage and love. Below is a message from Mandalyn, in her own words, about what their family is facing:

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A few weeks ago, our bright, energetic 9-year-old, Brighten, started having some mysterious symptoms. After a whirlwind of doctor visits, labs, and hospital stays, we received the diagnosis no parent ever wants to hear: Brighten has B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL).

We are now at Stanford Children’s Hospital, where Brighten has started intensive chemotherapy. We’re relieved to share that his cancer has not spread to his spinal fluid (he’s CNS1 — best case scenario), which gives him a very strong chance of recovery. But this journey will still be long, complex, and incredibly demanding — both physically and financially.

What We’re Facing:

Brighten’s treatment will last 2–3 years and include:

We’re doing everything we can to stay strong and focused on Brighten’s healing. But as the bills begin to come in, it’s clear that we can’t do this alone.

How You Can Help:

We don’t yet know the total cost of Brighten’s care, but we know it will be significant — and every bit of support helps us focus on what matters most: getting Brighten through this and back to being the free-spirited, funny, creative kid he’s always been.

If you feel moved to give, share, or simply send a kind word — we’re deeply grateful. Your support is helping hold us up during the hardest time of our lives.

Thank you for walking with us,

Mandalyn, Don, & Brighten Awesome Mallery

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All funds raised through this campaign will go directly to Mandalyn and Don to support Brighten’s care and recovery.

Thank you so much for your love, support, and generosity. Every share, donation, and prayer matters more than you can imagine.

With love,

Angelina DeWeese

(On behalf of Mandalyn, Don, & Brighten’s community)