The American Childhood Cancer Organization would like to thank our generous corporate partners who helped further our mission in 2023! Together we continued to “make childhood cancer a national child health priority through shaping policy, supporting research, raising awareness and providing educational resources and innovative programs to children with cancer, survivors, and their families.” Through these partnerships, ACCO has been able to impact the lives of tens of thousands of children with cancer on active treatment and their families across the U.S.

From corporate donations earmarked to specific ACCO programs, donating a percentage of sales and childhood cancer resources, to offering customers the opportunity to give, these corporations have strengthened their partnerships with ACCO during this unprecedented year.

Amazon has partnered with the American Childhood Cancer Organization for the past 6 years to expand much-needed childhood cancer research. Amazon’s support of ACCO’s “What About Kids® Research Initiative has resulted in ACCO securing more than $75 million in appropriations at the state level for childhood cancer research!

Amazon GOES GOLD® has led to their largest community engagement with employees around the world wearing their pajamas to work as a symbol of solidarity with children fighting cancer in their Pjs! Together, Amazon has raised awareness of childhood cancer across the U.S. and around the world through ACCO’s signature PJammin® events! CCO is working hard to train grassroots advocates, update state cancer plans to include childhood cancer language and objectives, and elevate state funding for childhood cancer in order to close the gap between budget allocations that go towards adult and childhood cancer research.

La Roche Posay, one of L’Oreal’s brands and recognized worldwide as the number one rated dermocosmetic product line, partnered with ACCO to enhance the quality of life of children with cancer. Based upon the design and impact of the pediatric pain scale, La Roche Posay + ACCO designed an Emoji scale tool to help children with cancer express their feelings. The toolkit allows the child, his/her family and the medical team explore the emotions associated with the treatment regimen and beyond. More than 5,000 children with cancer across the U.S. have received a free emoji toolkit as a result of the corporate partnership.

Since 2008, Jel Sert’s partnership with ACCO has helped children with cancer manage the physical and emotional pain associated with toxic cancer treatments. Jel Sert + ACCO donates freezers stocked with a continuous supply of Fla-Vor-Ice freezer pops to kids with cancer in clinics and hospitals nationwide to assist with maintaining fluids during times of chemo and radiation induced mouth sores. Jel Sert’s employees raise awareness and funds through an annual corporate PJammin event. Additionally, Jel Sert’s generous funding to ACCO provides tens of thousands of free educational resources to children with cancer and their families across the country. Jel Sert’s CEO’s personal commitment provides funding for nutritional support for children fighting cancer in ACCO-sponsored countries in Africa.

Servier Pharmaceuticals provides funding support  to continue to provide these essential educational resources without charge to children and adolescents with cancer. Servier also recognized the global childhood cancer survival disparity. As the producer of Peg-asparaginase, an essential chemotherapy required in the successful treatment of numerous types of childhood cancer, Servier addressed the medical needs of children with cancer in several low-middle income countries (LMICs). Together. Servier + ACCO provided nutritional support to children with cancer in Ethiopia, Uganda and Myanmar, recognizing that malnourished children with cancer have a significantly poorer cure rate. And in partnership with ACCO, Servier responded to the shortage of asparaginase in Beirut after the deadly explosion that took place there on August 4th.

Texas Materials Group, Inc reached out to ACCO in the beginning of 2023 to set up a PJammin® event to honor the memory of an employee that had recently passed away. In a matter of hours, the Texas-region employees had raised more than $12,000!

Texas Materials Group, Inc vowed to match donations and was successful in raising $26K!

The group asked ACCO where their money was needed the most and decided to allocate their funds to the medical play kit resource that ACCO provides to kids, free of charge. Following this extremely successful event, organizers at Texas Materials Group, Inc challenged their Louisiana branch, Barriere Construction to host their own PJammin® event!

Because of their successful event, ACO was able to purchase final components for our medical play kit and host a volunteer day at our headquarters in Maryland. Two employees from Texas Materials Group, Inc, flew to Maryland and attended our volunteer day where they helped make more than 1000 kits!

CRH is the leading provider of building materials and has market leadership in North America and Europe. As the main corporation, they employ branches throughout the United States including Texas Materials Group, Inc and Barriere Construction.

18Loop and TRIPP have joined forces with ACCO to launch the Virtual Comfort research program for children with cancer. In existing studies, Virtual Reality (VR) headsets have shown to reduce cognitive pain by 44 percent, emotional pain by 32 percent, and sensory pain by 27 percent. In a joint experimental intervention research study, 18Loop + ACCO have distributed more than 50 Oculus headsets to children on active cancer treatment.

At Amped Electric Games, we dare to dream big and inspire change through the electrifying world of personal electric vehicles.Driven by our unwavering values of abundance, community, giving, growth, leadership, inclusivity, and safety, we are united in our mission to elevate the sport, bring people together, and make a positive impact on the world.

Since 2022, Amped Electric Games has raised awareness and funds for kids with cancer at their races across the United States. Their first event promised big jumps, high flying thrills and an unparalleled time.  With more than $7,500 raised, Amped is committed to helping raise funds one race at a time.

Kendra Scott creates jewelry for every look and occasion, from simple & classic to bright & bold. Jewelry that makes you feel like your most confident self. Doing good has been built into Kendra Scott’s business model from the very beginning and they are committed to hosting Give Back events all over the United States. ACCO has worked with Kendra Scott for years and in 2023, they plan on expanding their program with us to include California, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida. From hosting color bar parties to showcasing ACCO’s curated collection of jewelry during a GO GOLD® event, ACCO and Kendra Scott events are here to stay.

Interested in becoming an ACCO corporate partner? Click here to learn more. 

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

Not only is a PJammin® or GO GOLD® event fun, it also raises awareness for childhood cancer! Events can be held anywhere – from schools to the workplace, in person or virtual – anyone can join in. Become part of a movement and give back to kids with cancer and their families.

How do I get started?

• Pick a fundraiser: Choose either a PJammin® or GO GOLD® event! Not sure which to choose? That’s okay! Email Samantha at sclary@acco.org to learn more.

• Spread the word: Let friends and family know you are raising awareness for childhood cancer in the workplace, school or in your community! Share via email, social media, word of mouth, however you’d like! ACCO can help you by providing a flyer with custom QR codes for donors to donate!

• Get Ready: You’ve got the swag, flyer and custom donation page, now get out there and fundraise! Need something else, let us know!

The most that anyone could hope to do for a child with cancer is to make their cancer go away. However, defeating cancer can take years or a lifetime, and too many children lose the battle. In the time between a first diagnosis and the first cancer-free day — if that day ever comes — these children are facing the most intense challenge of their lives. At ACCO, we support children on the front lines in the fight for their lives. They all deserve a cure.

Until that day comes, they will have our care.

Q.  Were you aware of the childhood cancer world prior to your child’s diagnosis? Did you have any connection prior?

R. Not really.  Knew of it, sure.  Knew what they do….not really.  Knew just how devastating it can be for the kids and their families…..NOT AT ALL!

Q.  Tell us about the day your child was diagnosed. What events/issues led to your child’s diagnosis? How did you feel/react to the initial news?

R. There are moments in your life you can recall with great detail.  Maybe it was your marriage.  Maybe it is the birth of your child.  For me, I can recall the night I found out Damon had cancer as if it happened minutes ago.

That weekend, I was hunting with my oldest son Brandon.  While in the deer stand, my ex-wife Lisa sends me a picture of Damon’s arm (one of the twins).  She said she was in line with him at HEB and when she hugged him to say ‘I Love You,’ she felt a lump.  She took a picture and sent it to me.  She inquired as to what it could be.  I had no idea. 

She decided to go to Texas Med Clinic but did not arrive until around 10pm.  After an hour or so, the doctor sent them to The Pediatric Hospital for further tests.  Now it is past midnight.

They take tests, X-rays, etc. and all the while I’m pacing back and forth at Deer camp waiting for news.  I call constantly but no word.  Plus, they are sleeping waiting for answers.

At 3:26am I received a call from Lisa (Damon’s mom).  I asked what did they find out?  There was silence.  I asked again.  The silence turned to tears and at that moment, my heart sank.  I knew something was not right.

The doctor took the phone from Lisa and said (And yes, I can recall word for word what was said): “Mr. Billeck this is Damon’s Doctor…..there is no way to sugarcoat this.  Damon has a form of bone cancer and we need to deal with it immediately.  We are transferring him to the Children’s hospital via ambulance and he should be there within ten minutes.  I’m very sorry.”

Just like that, our lives were changed forever!!

Q. Did your child follow a COG protocol for treatment or did they follow a different protocol tailored to their situation?  Thoughts on their overall treatment experience? How did you feel watching your child go through treatment?

R. Damon followed the protocol for treating Osteosarcoma.  Sadly the methods of treatment of osteosarcoma over the past 30 years have not changed.   Part is due to awareness, other part due to funding.  They give the kids the same schedule of chemo and expect a different outcome each time.  Doesn’t happen. 

How do you know what is right and what is wrong.  When Damon was diagnosed, half the doctors said to amputate his arm right away, the other half said it wasn’t necessary and that Limb Salvage Surgery is just as viable.

We spoke to Damon and kept him informed at all times.  We NEVER hid anything from him, and never sugarcoated it either.  He knew what we knew when we knew it.  Yes, he was only 9 at the time, but the one thing you will be amazed is the rapid advancement of maturity in your diagnosed kid.

For the kids going through chemo it’s painful, very, very painful.  It’s equally as painful for the parents because we can do NOTHING.  We can lend support, say we love them, but in the end, they have to suffer and we have to simply watch.  Your heart will break daily!  There is no getting around that!

Q. Share with us obstacles and triumphs that you faced personally during your child’s cancer journey. How did it feel to be thrown into the childhood cancer arena?  We hear so many talk about joys and sorrows, triumphs and obstacles they faced throughout their journey – please share any of yours or your child’s.  Overall – how did your child’s journey shape yours and your families new normal?   

R. Trials & obstacles go hand in hand with cancer.  There will be days they are feeling great and days they are in great pain.  The journey is like riding a rollercoaster.  From the day your child is diagnosed the rollercoaster begins.  Here’s something they wont tell you.  Once you are on the rollercoaster…..you can never get off!

You will forever have highs and lows.  Even if they get to a stage of N.E.D. (No Evidence of Disease), the coaster continues.  Because you still have to go back for 3 month check ups and experience what we can “Scan”xiety.  That Scanxiety NEVER gets easier.  Osteosarcoma can lay dormant for 10-20 years and show up again with a vengeance. 

The journey is not all bad though.  I will say the journey is what YOU make it!  You can cry about the fact your child has cancer or just say….Okay…my kid has cancer, let’s move on.  It’s up to you.

Pharrell Williams sent Damon a video that changed our lives and how we fought cancer.  You can look for it on YouTube. 

“The past you can’t change and the future you can only contemplate.  But the preset is something most people ignore.  The present is a gift, it’s malleable and it can be whatever you want it go be.  Think hard about that!

We chose to make the present HAPPY!  Damon had cancer, so why get mad, why get sad.  It will not change the fact that he has cancer.  Plus, we don’t know the future.  We don’t know if the surgery will be successful.  If the treatment will work, etc.  So why worry about it?!  But today, we can be happy.  We can do whatever we want and we did!

My suggestion is to be HAPPY and have fun.  Cancer can be fun if you let it.  You just have to open your eyes.

Q. What point is your journey at now?  What survivorship issues are you facing?  How do you handle the unknowns? 

R. Damon passed away at the age of 13 after five years of fighting.  He won his battle with cancer, but lost his life in the process.  That’s what heroes do….sacrifice themselves to save others. 

The last year of his life was spent going from one trial medication to another.  Never knowing if it would work or kill him.  One trial, after one day on the drug sent him into a 3 day coma.  Damon’s response after waking was “Guess that one doesn’t work!”  LOL….  Another trial caused his skin to change color.  I said he looked like a Minion.  He knew the danger, but didn’t care.  Because he also knew every failure would help point them in the right direction.  How many adults would be willing to do the same?!

So now we deal with the fact our son | brother & twin is gone.  If any person ever tells you it gets easier as the years pass, they are lying!  It NEVER gets easier.  NEVER!!

If a person loses their spouse…they are a widower
If a person loses their parents…they are an orphan
If a person loses their child…..there is no term for that!  Painful…is the term. 

But…doesn’t mean every day is rocky.  As we said before…we chose to live Happy and that still applies.  Damon was one hell of a kid.  He changed the world and inspired others!  He did more in his 13 years of life than I feel I have in my 52.  But I’m thankful I had him.  I don’t curse his death…..I celebrate his life!

Damon was a Honorary San Antonio Fireman.  He was a Brand Manager.  He was a leader, and innovator and a true inspiration for many!

He had a quote that he loved:
Strength isn’t measured by how much one can lift.
Strength is measured by how much one can lift others.

By those standards, he was one STRONG kid!!!!

Follow Brian on Twitter or Instagram @happy2badad or on Facebook at @BBilleck

Read Damon’s original Gold Ribbon Hero story here: https://www.acco.org/blog/golden-ribbon-hero-damons-story/

You can take action in your own state by learning more here.

Learn more about the types of sarcomas and read more stories here during our Sarcoma Awareness Month feature.

Ten acres of sunflowers bloomed this summer at Traders Village in San Antonio. The golden display was planted by Brian Billeck in honor of children battling cancer, especially his son, Damon. Sunflowers are a symbol of osteosarcoma, the disease that Damon battled. He passed away in 2018. 

In June, the sunflower field hosted the Firefly Moms, a group of women who lost children to cancer, including Damon’s mother, Lisa. They brought photos of their children so that they could take pictures together.

Damon’s sunny attitude was infectious. “I can do this all day!” was his regular battle cry. His story and open letter to cancer both appear here. 

Meet Archer, a 2 year old stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma warrior. At 21 months old, Archer stopped walking suddenly and was taken to the emergency room. The MRI revealed a large mass on his spine that was compressing his spinal cord. He immediately had surgery to remove the mass and had further testing to see if there were any more tumors. Since then, he’s undergone six rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, bone marrow transplants and radiation.

ACCO is proud to announce that our Regional Advocacy Coordinator, Elizabeth Turner, has been voted as the new Chair of the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. 

Elizabeth Turner was thrust into the childhood cancer community when her son, David Jr. was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). After David Jr. was diagnosed, Elizabeth and David were on a mission to raise awareness and make every day the best day ever. In 2021, David Jr. passed away from DIPG at the age of 9 years old. 

Throughout her career, Elizabeth has focused on health and wellness and has successfully developed community relationships to engage childhood cancer families with stories similar to hers. She was appointed to the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund by Governor Beshear in June 2021. She leads a team of members as the Awareness Committee Chair planning events, leading awareness campaigns, and advocating for all families impacted by cancer. Elizabeth also serves as a committee member for the Norton Patient and Family Advisory Council focusing on positively impacting the patient experience.

Background on the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund: 

In 2015, the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund was established by Senate Bill 82. $2.5 million was allocated for each year of the biennium as part of the 2018 budget bill. The fund aims to make childhood cancer a state health priority by giving all Kentucky children access to cutting-edge cancer research, treatments with less toxicity, and encouraging psychosocial support with a targeted focus on the complicated issues of long-term survivorship.

Since Kentucky’s children are diagnosed with these tumors at a disproportionately higher rate than other states, prioritization of this research warrants continued expansion and Kentucky leadership has taken notice. 

States have a critical role to play in overcoming the national disparity between adult and childhood cancer research, treatment, and support. YOU can join the movement to make meaningful change by engaging policy makers at the local and state level. Take action by clicking here. 

In January, ACCO’s CEO, Ruth Hoffman, was nominated for M & T Bank’s “CEO You Should Know” Award and was selected in March! We are absolutely thrilled to share this with our community. Be sure to listen to any iHeart Radio station in the greater Washington D.C. area to hear the commercial and you can read more about her here.

What makes a good CEO? Is it dedication to the organization’s mission or the ability to inspire all who she employs? With that said, I humbly nominate Ruth I. Hoffman as the next CEO You should know. 

Ruth was thrust into the childhood cancer world when her 7-year-old daughter was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Since 1999, Ruth has been CEO of the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) and is the immediate Past-President of Childhood Cancer International. 

To say childhood cancer advocacy is a passion for Ruth is an understatement. She has spent more than thirty years raising awareness and advocating for cancer’s littlest patients.

“Ruth is focused on advancing childhood cancer initiatives around the world and leads a team of individuals dedicated to the mission so that one day there is a cure,” said Elizabeth Turner, Regional Advocacy Coordinator.

Even on the darkest days, ACCO’s resources help to bring smiles to the faces of cancer’s littlest patients. Ruth was hands on when it came to developing resources to help kids with cancer. She said, “I am proud of all of our comprehensive childhood cancer resources, born out of parents’ frustration with the lack of readily-available and easy-to-digest information. When parents write to let me know that their child related to our book “Marvelous Marleigh” or felt empowered to face cancer treatments after playing with ACCO’s Medical Play Kit, there is an inner peace that I feel knowing that I played a role in making a family’s journey a bit easier as a result of these important resources.” 

ACCO’s roots are deeply planted in the advocacy community and with the expansion of the “What About Kids?®” initiative, ACCO has proven that states play a critical role in overcoming the national disparity between adult and childhood cancer research, treatment and support. As of 2023, the “What About Kids?®” research Initiative has raised more than $72.4 million for childhood cancer research under Ruth’s leadership. 

“In order for someone to work as hard as Ruth does, while simultaneously and consistently radiating such warmth, that person needs to truly and wholly love what she does, who she does it with and what she does it for. She makes it look easy and when it all comes together, it’s downright inspiring,” said Samantha Clary, ACCO’s Resources Coordinator. 

Ruth’s dedication to childhood cancer doesn’t just include the United States. She has helped ACCO cross borders and address the needs of kids with cancer and their families worldwide. 

In the past six years, Ruth has helped develop a nutritional program in Addis Ababa, fund a nutrition program in Ethiopia, aid in getting supplies for Beirut children following the explosion and navigated support for kids with cancer and their families during the Ukrainian crisis. 

Most recently, Ruth worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a survey to amplify the voices of pediatric and adult cancer survivors, caregivers and bereaved families. This survey aims to reach more than 100,000 responders who have been affected by cancer in some way.  

Ruth’s unfailing love of what she does radiates throughout the organization and her dedication to the cause is awe inspiring.