Benny

AGE 4

I would love to telly you all about Minecraft and Monster Jam. I like hockey but I don't play much now. Miss Bre is my buddy at the hospital, and Mr. Bobby, too. I love Elsa. I have "zuch-inia" (leukemia). I'm a really fast runner and I can jump very high. Sometimes I go invisible, too. That's it for now.

Oh, and I love mommy and I love daddy and Elsa and everyone because they're soooo cute!

Brayden

AGE 7

My name is Brayden. I am 7 years old and in the 1st grade. I was diagnosed with cancer on December 13th 2019. I was 4 years old. I am now cancer free and thankful for each day even the hard days. I love everyone at the Mercy's Children's Cancer Center and thankful for FOKWC for the many ways they helped my family and I. I have 2 sisters & 2 dogs and one snake. I love playing video games and watching YouTubers play video games & my favorite song now is "Lose Yourself" by Eminem.

Charlie

AGE 13

My name is Charlie and I am in 8th grade at St. Peter in Kirkwood. I was diagnosed with Ocular Rhabdomyosarcoma this July and receiving treatment at Cardinal Glennon. My team has been amazing and makes me feel that I am the most important person there. I am from a family of 5 kids and love to spend time outdoors, especially exploring national parks. I love to play lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, and ran my first half marathon this March. I am so grateful for all the love and support from my medical team, family, friends, and organizations like FOKWC.

Charlotte AGE 7

My name is Charlotte. I am 7 years old and am in 2nd grade. I was diagnosed with B-Cell Leukemia type ALL in January 2021 and I will be finished with treatments in March. I get my treatments at St. Louis Children's Hospital and I love my nurses and Dr. Meg. I can be very shy and I'm nervous about the Fashion Show, but excited, too. Last year I collected money while I was Trick or Treating and donated it to Friends of Kids with Cancer. I love to eat, especially tacos and bacon. I love to be with my friends at school and I love helping people.

Cole

Age 19

Hello, my name is Cole and I am 19 years old, currently attending Missouri University of Science & Technology. I am majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Pre-Med. January 6, 2020, I was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and since then have received vigorous amounts of chemotherapy. I love martial arts, guitar, and wanting to learn about medicine. In school, I am a part of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) Fraternity and joining the brotherhood was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My treatment center is like a second home filled with such kind and loving people who have saved my life. I know I could never repay them but they are all like family to me now. My family consists of my amazing parents who have given up so much for not just me but our whole family. I also have 1 older sister and a younger sister, and a brother. Having cancer is not something I would wish on anyone but minus every side effect and pain it has shed a light in my life to appreciate it more and inspire me to go to school, work hard with the goal to go to med school to hopefully one day be a pediatric oncologist and help others just as I have been helped.

Damon

AGE 14

Hi, my name is Damon and I am 14 years old. I have 6 siblings and I like to play video games. My favorite superhero is Thor and I'm a freshman in high school. I am at the end of my treatment. I look forward to finished and being cancer free. I was diagnosed in April of 2021 and I look forward to being done with treatments in 2023. I'll be so excited cause that's my birthday month.

Darren AGE 17

My name is Darren. I am 17 years old and in the 11th grade. I was diagnosed Nov. 19, 2019 with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblasic Leukemia when I was 14. I have played select baseball since I was five and like to play basketball with my friends. Friends of Kids with Cancer & the team at Mercy Kids Cancer Center have helped me throughout my past 3 years of treatment to keep me positive. My favorite part of visits is art therapy and visits with Odin [the therapy dog].

David

AGE 17

David is a 17 year old diagnosed with B-Cell ALL in Feb. of 22. He has 2 older sisters and 2 dogs. He loves playing soccer and Xbox. His sense of humor has been amazing through all of this, even playing pranks on his nurses in the hospital. He wants to be a robotics engineer in the future.

Elle

AGE 16

Elle has Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She started chemo in October of 2020 She says it was a hard six months mentally and physically but everyone on her cancer team always made it so much easier. They made her laugh and gave her advice and "the best hugs". Mental health wise Dr. Kurt was a huge help, she says. She says FOKWC was another huge help; "I genuinely can't even explain how much even a small card helped brighten my days from them let alone the huge gifts that not only I could receive but I could share with my loved ones and help them because as hard as it is for me, watching your loved ones go through it is just as hard."

Ezekiel

AGE 7

I go to the 9th floor clinic and I'm brave and everyone is nice. The clinic is cool.

Harper

AGE 6

Hi my name is Harper. I am 6 years old, and I am in the 1st grade. I live with my mom, dad, and sister, Charlotte, who is 8 years old. I was diagnosed with B-ALL in March of 2020. Some of my interests include playing games on my iPad. I love listening to music, drawing, and spending time with my family and friends.

Hazel

AGE 5

My name is Hazel and I am five years old. I go to Kindergarten at Wild Horse Elementary. I have a little sister named Clair bear and she is two years old. In October 2018 I was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor and received treatment at Mercy Clinic Children's Cancer and Hematology. I had the nicest nurses and doctors there, but what always cheered me up on a hard day was getting to pick out a toy from the FOKWC toy closet there. I also LOVED the FOKWC Winter Wonderland Party and can't wait for it to return. I am a certified dinosaur expert and love dinosaurs so much. Dinosaurs are my favorite, but I also like pterosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles and all sorts of wildlife.

Hudson

AGE 5

My name is Hudson. I am 5 years old. I am in preschool. When I was 2 years old, I was diagnosed with ariaplastic ependynioma. Since then, I have had five brain surgeries and 2 rounds of radiation. I love going to see all of my friends who take care of me at Children's Hospital and always miss them between appointments! My favorite thing to do is to play with my big brother Carter, and all of our friends. We love to play sports outside and video games. I also love to do puzzles and tell jokes.

Age 9

Hi, I am Isabel and I am 9. I have two brothers named Henry and James. Henry is 7 and James is 5. I love baking and painting. I also love crafts, all crafts to be exact. I go to Veckemeyer Elementary. I was diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma on June 7, 2021. I go to the Costas Center at Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis. I love Friends of Kids with Cancer because they put on tons of events like the lights at Grants Farm. Everyone that has helped me through this also supported me when I felt down. My Grandpa is my role model. He has cancer too, which he cannot get rid of. Whenever I feel sad and disappointed, I like to pray to God. He helps me through everything. So many times when my grandpa went to the hospital I cry and talk to God for him. When I do, God always helps me.

John AGE 11

My name is John and I am a sixth grader at Signal Hill School in Belleville, IL. I have one sister, Renae, who is 18 years old. I was diagnosed with Medullobastoma in September of 2020. I completed radiation and chemotherapy at Children's last year, but the doctor's recently found a new tumor. My doctors and nurses have been amazing throughout my cancer journey. I have also been able to enjoy many fun events and activities, thanks to Friends of Kids with Cancer.

Luca

AGE 6

My name is Luca. I am 6 years old and I was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 2.5 years old. I received treatment at Mercy Children's Cancer Center. I have a 4 year old sister, Rilynn, and 3 dogs. I like to play hide n seek, freeze tag, and video games. I attend 1st grade in Waterloo, IL and love playing with my best friend, Nolan.