Andrea Corradini likes to say she discovered CCA by “happy accident.” Some 15 years ago as a Nike employee, she stumbled upon a CCA Gala in-progress at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike Campus. She asked to join the party, somebody gave her a chair, and the rest is history – or we should say, herstory.

Brutally honest and openly passionate, former Chemo Pal George Yioulos, doesn’t hold back when talking about the people he loves. His gregarious personality can be jarring to some, but he has the knack for making everyone feel like a close friend, and it’s clear that he is genuinely kind and caring.

Self-professed Kids Cancer Hero CS Sheffield has been a Children’s Cancer Association Ambassador Board Member since 2010 and is currently Co-Chair. That’s about the same time he became Twitter sensation @SheffStation. What CS has achieved for CCA in the eight years since then is nothing short of remarkable.

In 2007, Karen’s life changed dramatically when her granddaughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with T-Cell Leukemia. Karen witnessed firsthand the pain and hardship her granddaughter faced, but there was one thing which helped them all get through it: Music.

Continuously surprising and astounding us with their generosity, volunteers are the backbone of the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), helping our programs to run smoothly and providing top-notch event experiences.

The hardships of cancer are not limited to the physical treatment. Cancer also affects a person’s social life, emotional wellbeing and financial stability.

Wendy is an enthusiastic volunteer in the Children’s Cancer Association’s Chemo Pal Mentor Program. When she retired in 2014, volunteering was a priority and working directly with people facing cancer was near and dear to her heart.

The holidays are a time for reflection, gratefulness, and family. While many families with kids facing serious illness focused on their child’s health, we at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) turned our attention to their happiness.

When Bill Grange walks into the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), he greets just about everyone in the office on a first name basis. He’s easy-going, understanding, and a great conversationalist. He loves his job as a Portland realtor and finds joy in golfing, music, gardening, and his family. He’s also a CCA Chemo Pal extraordinaire, having been matched with five Chemo Pals over the past eleven years.

The holidays are a time for reflection, gratefulness, and family. While many families with kids facing serious illness focused on their child’s health, we at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) turned our attention to their happiness.

Dawson is an inspiring seventeen-year-old with a complicated diagnosis. Over the years he’s been diagnosed with Diabetes, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Left Ventricle Noncompaction, Pulmonary Hypertension, and Stage 4 Kidney Disease.

Teri and Brock have been married for 15 years and have two children, eleven-year-old Jack and six-year-old Oliver. The family considers themselves fortunate in many ways. They enjoy traveling, all things outdoors and are dedicated Star Wars fans. But Teri and Brock are no strangers to hardship. Four years ago, Teri was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, completely changing their family’s day-to-day life.

The holidays are a time for reflection, gratefulness, and family. While many families with kids facing serious illness focused on their child’s health, we at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) turned our attention to their happiness.

The generosity and kindness shared this holiday season, whether you sponsored a family or made an end of year donation, was appreciated. Our lives are richer when we give, and the joy that comes from helping others provides a reward that’s often more valuable than the gift itself.

Growing up not too far from Oregon in Wenatchee, Washington, Dustin received his undergrad in Sport Management and master’s in Business Administration from Union University in Tennessee. Oregon was always on his radar and in 2012 he decided to move to Portland. When he’s not making people laugh in the office, Dustin enjoys snowboarding and hiking.

Our team at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) continues to grow as we challenge ourselves to provide joy to more kids and teens facing serious illness each year. Recently, we hired six new staff members and welcomed three new interns. Of those six staff members, two are previous CCA volunteers. We’re so excited to have them on the team and know that their expertise will only help to strengthen our mission. Today, we would like to introduce you to Drew Peterson, Database Support.

Smiles, laughter, music, nature, kindness, and helping people, these are the things that bring Suzie Moll joy. A native Oregonian with a passion for giving back, Suzie has been involved with non-profits in her community since her 20s. She is an avid supporter of organizations bettering the lives of children and teens, so it’s no surprise that she took an interest in our JoyRx programs.

It’s said William Shakespeare first penned the phrase “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve,” but Eileen Shattuck took it to the next level when she tattooed the Children’s Cancer Association’s heart logo on her arm. We are incredibly grateful to Eileen for her support of CCA and inspired to know someone who has so much love and dedication for a cause that we all hold close to our hearts.

The Children’s Cancer Association’s (CCA) “One Day. One Friend.” is an annual, online, peer-to-peer fundraiser that helps fund matches for our award-winning Chemo Pal Mentor Program. This program provides children and teens with a caring, trusted, adult friend to look forward to during treatments, and someone in their corner when they need it most. This year, 22 Chemo Pal Mentors and CCA volunteers shared personal stories about their experiences with CCA and asked their friends and family to support a cause they care deeply about. Together, they raised over $20,000!

Since becoming a volunteer in 2015, Matt Berning has played an amazing 112 hours of music for kids and staff at Randall Children’s Hospital.