I’m raising money for Kesem because this is something I’ve lived through.

I lost my mom to cancer when I was 13. My siblings and I were young, and we didn’t have much of a support system outside of each other. We just tried to figure it out as we went, and looking back, there’s a lot we didn’t know how to handle.

Years later, in 2012, we lost my sister to cancer. She left behind four kids who were all still really young. Watching them go through that brought everything back, and I couldn’t help but think about what they were about to face.

But their story took a different turn.

When my nephew Christopher was in college, he found Kesem and became a camp counselor. He loved it. Then his two younger siblings followed in his footsteps and joined the chapters at their respective universities. Since then, I’ve seen a real difference in them. The way they’ve processed their grief, the way they support others, and the way they’ve grown through something that could have easily gone the other way.

That’s what makes Kesem so important. What they provide for kids going through a parent’s cancer is incredibly meaningful, especially during a time that can feel dark and isolating. They create a space where kids feel understood, supported, and not alone in what they’re going through.

There are over 5 million children in the U.S. affected by a parent having cancer. In 2025, Kesem was able to serve over 7,200 of them. That’s just 0.1% of the kids who need our help.

I’m raising money to help send more kids to camp. Because I know what it’s like to go through that without support, and I’ve seen how much of a difference it makes when they have it.