I am often asked what Elevate does and the easy thing to do is rattle off Elevate’s mission: we save and improve the lives of those diagnosed with pediatric cancer. But what does that really mean?

    Elevate’s goal is for those diagnosed with pediatric cancers to be offered precision medicine from DAY ONE of their diagnosis.

   For those of us who have heard, “Your loved one has cancer,” we know this is critical. And while we work to make that happen, we empower those facing a diagnosis with critical information that those directly impacted believe is important for families to know. 

   The work is personal. Not only have the members of our board [Meet Elevate’s Board here] had personal experiences with pediatric cancer, but as our reach expands so does our Elevate community. Each quarter our community expands by those with recent diagnoses, those enduring treatment or the long term effects of survivorship, and unfortunately, those who leave us too soon. 

   The second quarter of 2025 has been overflowing with learning, collaborating, advocating, communicating, and fundraising! As a result, we have been able to empower, advocate and invest!

.   ACCELERATE’s 15th Paediatric Strategy Forum. Elevate’s mission to save and improve the lives of those diagnosed with childhood cancer has sent us, and many of our advocates, around the world to learn, advocate and collaborate. ACCELERATE’s 15th Paediatric Strategy Forum focus on antibody drug conjugates equipped us to be more savvy advocates for pediatric cancer research. ACCELERATE embodies a core Elevate value that in order to move the needle towards precision medicine for children on day one of diagnosis requires all of the stakeholders to come together. We must continue to more clearly define the problems that have caused the 6.5 year average lag between when drugs are developed/approved for adults and when they become available for children. Identifying and defining these pinchpoints is allowing us to strategically invest our time and money to make the changes needed. Our kids are depending on us for this. 

   Coalition Against Childhood Cancer Annual Meeting. Consistent with our value of collaboration, Elevate joined the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2). This June, Robyn traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with pediatric cancer foundation leaders from across the United States. We are proud of our involvement in CAC2 and grateful for their leadership in organizing resources available through the hundreds of members for families facing cancer. Elevate will be actively supporting state-level community engagement advocacy efforts across the United States and collaborative efforts to co-fund research efforts in strategic areas of missional need, and we are excited to have new partners to help us share our advocacy-created resources! 

   The first event, The Second Annual Indiana Pediatric Sarcoma Summit, will be held at IBRI, and will shake up current thinking and identify creative, BOLD concepts to fuel new clinical development for pediatric cancer! Our planning committee includes experts from IBRI, IU Herman B. Wells Center for Cancer Research, and IU School of Medicine!

   The second event, The Pediatric Renal Cancer Roundtable: Building Multidisciplinary Collaboration for Thriving Survivorship, will be held in Denver through a strategic partnership with the Kidney Cancer Association. 

+ Elevate is gearing up for CureFest!

   We are busy supporting the efforts of the Rhabdomyosarcoma Coalition, of which we are founding members, to plan the first ever State of Sarcoma. Our coalition will host this event on Saturday morning of CureFest, which will include members of our coalition, scientists actively working on developing pediatric sarcoma therapies, and representatives from the broader pediatric sarcoma community! In addition, Elevate will host a table on Saturday of CureFest as an opportunity to meet those impacted by pediatric cancer, especially rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms tumor (and other pediatric renal tumors, like rhabdoid tumor). 

   Our Elevate board has been busy expanding our communications by streamlining our website to make it easier for our stakeholders to find the information they want or need. Board members, including Dan Leiter, worked hard to update both content and usability of the site.

   I hope you will take some time to visit the website, especially the new addition of an impact page [HERE]. It was both humbling and exciting to see the vast accomplishments our team of advocates has achieved on behalf of those diagnosed with pediatric cancer!

We can’t do it without all of you! 

With so many ways to be involved and be a part of saving lives, what are you waiting for? Check out some of our more recent opportunities to get involved and upcoming events below!

Want to become one of our valued recurring donors or perhaps hold a a virtual birthday fundraiser via social media?

The sky is the limit and Elevate would love for you to join our growing community, empowered to advocate and bring about change so we can LET KIDS BE KIDS!

Empowerment. Advocacy. Investment.