“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: This little hero always had a smile on his face and was always ready to throw up the “rock on” hand signal. He has brought an awareness of this horrible disease to a lot of people who didn’t have a clue. Logan will always be my hero. He is the bravest person that I know and he will always hold a very special place in my heart. He touched so may lives in the short time he was here.” – Stephanie B.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Audrey was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April 2014 after having a seizure at school. After multiple brain surgeries, months of radiation, and over a year of chemo she has lost the majority of her sight and most of the time needs a wheelchair to get around due to paralysis in her right side. Yet, despite these obstacles Audrey has continued to work to raise awareness about juvenile and brain cancers. Shortly after her diagnosis she started a group called Audrey’s Minions and set a fundraising goal for a 2014 Nashville 5k benefiting brain tumor alliance. In three short weeks the Minions raised $3,000 and had over 40 runners. She didn’t stop there. Over the year that followed, Audrey’s Minions continued to work hard to raise awareness. Audrey’s Minions Facebook page continued to grow and reach more and more people. When she heard of Ellen’s #justkeepdancing through childhood cancer challenge she immediately rose to the occasion. She had her minions submit their own videos and a plan for a big dance and taping at the race quickly started to form. Her Minions were so moves by her ever increasing attempts to raise awareness that they shared the story of their hero and her hardwork with a local news station. (http://wkrn.com/2015/06/10/
There was an immediate out pouring from people impacted by her story and more teams honoring others joined the fight.
Audrey’s Minions raised $4,600 in 2015 and due to her hardwork to raise awareness the race total was almost $10,000 more than the year before.
Audrey continues her fight against childhood cancer and her selfless campaign to raise awareness and funds for others. There are already big plans for Audrey’s Minions in the year ahead. Audrey is a hero not only to her Minions but to all those in the fight against childhood cancer.” – Rachael J.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: DayzeeMae is a very courageous 15 month old who is fighting stage 4 neuroblastoma. She is a very happy little girl with a smile that will melt your heart!! She is truly an inspiration to all of us as she continues to fight each and everyday!! She is our hero and many other people’s hero!!!” – Amber H.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Preston is fighting Medulloblastoma brain cancer” – Elena S.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Matt Overton is just a man with a dream like you and I. He is a man with a heart of gold, just like the awareness color that represents the cancer I had only a short year and a half ago. He is a friend, a football player for the Indianapolis Colts, a country music fanatic, and a hero. I met Matt on Twitter one morning when I was being admitted back into the oncology ward with a blood infection. I was supposed to have a week off of treatment and time back at home with my family, but cancer had other plans. I tweeted at Matt saying that I would love to meet him sometime. He responded within minutes, tweeting to 44,000+ followers and asking them to pray for me, calling me a beautiful inspiration. I also received a direct message asking me where I was located so that he could meet up with me. A few hours later, there he was at my hospital room door with a grin on his face and the eagerness to know my story. I am twenty years old and at eighteen I was diagnosed with high grade osteosarcoma. It hit me very hard when I was diagnosed, only for the fact that I had plans to move out in less than a month from my day of diagnosis and attend IUPUI here in Indianapolis. I wanted to live, I wanted to study nursing, and I wanted to be a normal eighteen year old. But cancer had other plans. Matthew continued to visit me, send me flowers, text me and check up on me, and inspire me as he consistently showed his compassion to help others who were sick like myself. He surprised me on the eve of homecoming at my hometown high school, where as the reigning homecoming queen, it was my job to crown the next lady who would represent my high school. He and Pat McAfee escorted me onto the football field where they smiled and made me feel as if I was invincible for a little while. It was one of the best nights of my life. Six months ago I celebrated my cancerversary and biggest milestone, my one year cancer free mark. My parents threw a small party for me at a restaurant here in Indianapolis where my family and friends gathered to celebrate being healthy and happy for a year. Matthew took the time out of his busy personal life, during the off season of his career where he spends a lot of his time back in California, to come to my party and once again prove his compassion. There is no one person who is more deserving of this award. Matthew is a man who loves giving his time to kids who may not have much time left. I am blessed beyond measure to have met someone so humble, and his astounding attitude only continues to give humanity a good name. He is my hero, an inspiration to many, and a role model to us all.” – Madeline H.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Cole was 19 months old when he was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma. He came into the world very small at 2 LBS and 8 OZ. He has overcome so much in his short life. He has amazed all of us with his strength. He has learned to walk since completing chemo. He is now a typical 2 year old and our HERO!” – Misty E.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: I’d like to nominate my son…
Alex, who at the age of 12 was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma of the bone on Monday April 4th, 2011.
The disease affected 90% of the bones in his body, Alex underwent 6 rounds of intense chemotherapy, 96 hours at a time at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, MI. It was during his time in the hospital that Alex asked for his Xbox to be brought in so he could escape reality with video games. It had a very positive effect on his attitude…it allowed him to cope, relax and have the comforts of home right there in his hospital room…his home away from home. Very few of his roommates had the same comfort or escape…Alex would share his games and controllers until it was time for him to go home.
Alex came up with the idea of…
“What if we could put video games in all the rooms on the oncology floor…and the infusion room too?”
Because of Alex’s inspiration and the way he fought cancer…and eventually won, this year we started a non-profit organization Alex’s Arcade, to help other children like Alex to cope with cancer.” – James C.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Emma is a gold hero because she has been battling DIPG. An inoperable form of brain cancer for 17 months. In this time she has published a book to show kids how they can have fun and be brave fighting cancer!www.hope4emma.com” – Donna M.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Lily’s son, Bryson, was at University of Missouri Women and Children Hospital in Columbia, MO for two months before being taken by DIPG. Lily made all of Bryson’s days fun and beautiful. She took the major role in Bryson’s care and brought personal touches into his care and into his room. Hospital officials have said they will be taking parent’s wishes into account more now because of Lily.” – Theresa S.
“Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Avery “brAvery” Heino was diagnosed in June 2014 with a rare form of brain cancer – Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) – just a week before her 2nd birthday. During her 10 months of treatment, she had 13 surgeries (8 of which were brain surgeries and included a tracheostomy and g-tube), over 20 rounds of high dose intense chemo therapy, a stem cell transplant and countless other procedures, infusions, etc. We basically lived inpatient in the hospital throughout those entire 10 months. Avery passed away on April 7, 2015 from complications relating to her treatment and stem cell transplant. The harsh chemo drugs left her trying to fight off many infections and caused multiple complications that caused her lungs to fail.
Avery completed our family in a way I didn’t even realize was missing. When I was pregnant with her, I worried endlessly that it wouldn’t be the same or that I wouldn’t love her like I loved Ella (my older daughter). And then she was born – I felt an immediate sense of completion and wholeness that I didn’t even realize I was missing. She was sweet and silly and crazy and snuggly. She smiled through every treatment and every procedure. I’ve never met anyone who smiles after puking! She made friends with everyone she met, even if she never said a word. She loved her sister fiercely, thought her daddy was the best and funniest guy around and her favorite place to be was in my arms. Not having her with us on Earth anymore has left an incredible hole in our life and our hearts. I’m still not sure how we’re supposed to live our whole lives without her. She is so very missed. A photo essay series was done on Avery during her last chemo treatment to help spread awareness for pediatric cancer – http://
We are dedicating Avery’s memory and life to helping advocate and fight on behalf of all the children affected by childhood cancers. No family should go through what mine did, no parents should be faced with the decisions my husband and I had to make, no one should have to bury their baby.” – Dana H.
