At just 3 years old, what started as an abdominal lump turned into every family’s worst nightmare: a diagnosis of high-risk neuroblastoma.

That very night, Sam and his family rushed to Children’s Hospital. Days later, he endured a grueling 7-hour surgery to remove the primary tumor. Though the procedure was successful, the relief was short-lived; just three months later, the cancer relapsed in the tumor bed.

What followed was a relentless, year-long battle. Sam faced rounds of intense chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, radiation, and immunotherapy with incredible resilience. Thanks to research and the amazing physician scientists at The Morgan Adams Foundation Pediatric Brain Tumor Research program, his fight paid off when he was declared cancer free in 2017 at the age of 5.

Today, Sam is a thriving survivor, having celebrated 9 years cancer free. While late effects from his lifesaving treatments mean managing high-pitched hearing loss and routine monitoring of his heart and growth patterns, Sam lives life to the fullest. His journey is a powerful reminder of why research and support are so critical for kids facing childhood cancer.

Thank you for helping kids like Sam write their own survivor stories!