My Inspiration

When I was two years old, my mom was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. Although I don’t remember her being sick, my mom’s cancer diagnosis changed my family’s lives forever. For those of you who don’t know, Ewing’s Sarcoma is a rare form of cancer, which is typically found in children. In the United States, there are only 200 new cases of Ewing’s Sarcoma per year. My mom was a very rare case. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma 15 years ago, as an ADULT. My dad will always remember my mom’s oncologist telling him 15 years ago, “if you came to us ten years ago, your wife wouldn’t survive. If you came to us even five years ago, the odds of survival wouldn’t be good. But now I am asking you to give me one year of your life to treat your wife’s cancer, and I will give her the rest of her life.” Although that one year was hard, it was worth it. Without my mom, I would be lost in this world. My mom is my best friend. If it weren’t for their amazing research team, I would have grown up without my mom. My mom’s battle with cancer, and her recovery inspired me to become involved with pediatric cancer causes from a young age. Since I was seven years old, I have been involved in numerous charities helping children with cancer. It breaks my heart that anyone has to go through this vicious disease, but my heart breaks even more for CHILDREN who have cancer. Unfortunately, I know so many children who have been affected by cancer. Some warriors that I knew personally did not survive this horrific disease. As children, they did not have the opportunity to experience life to the fullest. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl, rich or poor, or the color of your skin. Cancer does NOT discriminate. You cannot buy a cure for cancer. I am determined to make a difference in the lives of children battling cancer. “Whip Pediatric Cancer” began when I was 16 years old. I was working a summer camp for children with cancer and noticed the song “Watch Me (Whip Nae Nae)” was super popular – I decided NEEDED to do something with it. I am tired of watching children die. We NEED a cure. So on August 17, 2015, my 14-second Whip video hit the internet, and it just exploded. What began as a viral video initiative has now grown into “The Heart of Gold Program.” Now, at five years old, Whip Pediatric Cancer is still growing and is stronger and stronger every day.