“We have to do better for our children!” 

    One of the very first times Elevate approached Tracy Brooks about our efforts to bring awareness and advocacy, she said…

 “I’ll tell our story to whoever needs to hear it to help make change!”

   This sentiment is repeated within the childhood cancer world often and Elevate loves these feisty, passionate voices!

   Last January Tracy was already on a mission of her own and headed to the Indiana Statehouse, along other childhood cancer advocates from across the state, armed with the six-years of treatment protocols her daughter Emmie courageously faced.   

   Another passionate mother involved within this advocacy was Jessica Jackson, mother to 2 time childhood cancer survivor, Keaton, diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma a few years ago. She recognizes that this effort has “brought a lot of awareness to the problems surrounding childhood cancer. Those range from the lack of funding at state and national levels, the statistics surrounding a child or adolescent cancer diagnosis, and the number of kids treated each year.”

The goal of these mothers’ mission?

   Financial support from the state of Indiana to increase pediatric cancer research. While the bill didn’t initially pass, the conversations  at the statehouse that day set into motion the creation of a Rare Disease Council, which will be evaluating research efforts for childhood cancer in the state and the reimbursements allowed by Medicaid in the state.

Meanwhile, more advocacy was in the works….

      If you were looking for Tracy in the month of September, she was most easily found where awareness and advocacy events were taking place and recruiting others along the way! She stepped out of her comfort zone to share her story on The Bridge FM!  

   A host of childhood cancer moms in Columbus, Indiana, attended the signing of the mayoral proclamation to declare September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month alongside Tracy to show why this matters!

Jessica echoes the importance of these types of advocacy measures throughout all our counties, cities and states…

    Proclamations help bring all of these needs within the childhood cancer world to the surface!

 

   Fundraising was another important measure Tracy was working on…

   To culminate a month of awareness and advocacy, the Brooks family was awarded replications of the license plates for the newly minted Riley Hospital for Children Red Wagon in honor of the $8000 raised by students from Central Middle School in memory of Emmie Brooks- whom you may recognize as our first Elevate kid, ‘EmPower‘! 

The funds raised by the students have been donated to the Pollok Lab at the Wells Center for Pediatric Research where Emmie’s cancer, Wilms tumor (pediatric kidney cancer),  is being researched. This summer, Tracy gathered the students who led the fundraising efforts and took them up to the lab where she had arranged a tour! Initiatives that engage young people in advocacy while providing valuable learning experiences are values that Elevate loves to see!

   Elevate was incredibly honored when Tracy decided to bring her energy and motivation to reimagine cancer treatment for children diagnosed with Wilms tumor to our Elevate Wilms Workgroup, where she is joining others who have been impacted by the disease. The group has been tasked with creating a roadmap to improve patient and parent information from the very beginning of diagnosis to ensure they have the best information possible to make informed decisions. Learn more on Elevate’s Building Bridges Blog here! 

Need more convincing this matters?

  Every three months we are slapped in the face with scans, which brings all sorts of emotions and trauma. We are grateful our son is in this place of survival, but hope for a day no one has to go through this with their child again!

 

We hope for better treatment options so long term effects of chemo will not be so harsh, as well as a better option than radiating them every three months! (referring to scans used for monitoring disease return);

 

A day when you can hear your child is “cured” and truly feel at peace with that.

 

-Jessica Jackson

   MRI Technologist, Childhood Cancer Advocate & mother of 2-time Rhabdomyosarcoma Survivor, Keaton 

 Join Elevate as we reimagine treatment for those diagnosed with childhood cancer.