Fight
Childhood
Cancer

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About The
Foundation

The HayesTough Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support and hope to families affected by childhood cancer. Every year nearly 100,000 kids die from Childhood Cancer, which is almost 300 kids per day. Despite these numbers, childhood cancer research is vastly underfunded.

CURRENT SPONSORS

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"I had no idea that a cancer unit even existed, let alone the fact that it was overflowing with children."

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There’s strength in numbers, you aren’t alone. The HayesArmy is here to support and lift you up!

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We are on a mission to help warriors and their families battle childhood cancer. We need your help!

"Welcome to the club…I am so sorry you are now a member."

A Letter From Savanna Tate

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Partner
with the HayesTough Foundation

Let’s work together to support, enrich and heal those families affected by cancer.

We need your help to raise awareness, support families, and fund the efforts to cure this terrible disease.

Volunteer / Partner with us

Make A Donation

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Meet The Real Life Heroes

Hear Their Stories

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Stay In The Know

Join Our Community Social Media

Here is a spotlight on warrior Theo by his mom: On 8/30/17 at just 4 months old Theo was diagnosed with high risk Infant Pre B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The following day he started a grueling 17 months of high dose chemotherapy and a multitude of other surgeries and procedures to place central lines and 2 ports. At his initial diagnosis he was fully inpatient for 7.5 months, celebrating all of his 1st major holidays and 1st birthday there in room 452 at Children’s Hospital in Mobile, AL. After a solid 16 months of remission Teddy relapsed on 1/17/19. The following week our family dropped everything in Alabama and flew to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to take part in a cutting edge clinical trial. On May 1st we drove home with Teddy in remission and ready to tackle life itself. In the last week of August I started to notice Theo having changes in daily behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns which started to raise suspicions. On the 28th just days before the two year mark of Teddy’s initial diagnosis, a sample of Teddy’s blood work was sent to a pathologist where she analyzed and saw abnormal cells again. Those cells were confirmed to be non leukemic, but Theo did have early B Cells return which can be a precursor to a relapse with the therapy he did in March. Last week Teddy did 4 days of lymphodepleting chemotherapy and then a re infusion of T Cells as step towards lifelong remission. #praymorefortheodore. #HayesArmy is behind you Theo! #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth
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You would never know by looking at her beautiful face that sweet Mia is battling a raging brain tumor. DIPG is a cancer that doctors have no cure for. There is still no effective treatment and no chance of survival. Only 10% of children with DIPG survive for 2 years following their diagnosis, and less than 1% survive for 5 years. The median survival time is 9 months from diagnosis. These facts are so heartbreaking and show just why more research needs to be allocated for these kids! This is Mia’s story told by her mom: Mia who is now 3 years old was diagnosed with DIPG in January of this year at just under 2 1/2 years old. At that time she was having terrible headaches as well as balance and swallowing difficulties. Since diagnosis, Mia has undergone 30 radiation sessions and also completed a T-Cell trial in Washington DC. She has been doing amazing since treatment and handled everything with strength and resilience. She even recently returned to daycare as she has missed so many aspects of just being a “normal” kid. Unfortunately Mia has been having some headaches again lately and will have an MRI today. We are praying for great results 🙏🏽 #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #dipg #hayestough #miagracestrong

Meet beautiful warrior Lynden. Her mom shared her story with me and I was blown away by her daughters strength and huge heart! Here is her story in her mom’s words: July 9th our world got turned upside down when we found out a small pimple-like lesion on our daughter back was in fact cancer. After doing scan and lots of testing the next few weeks we discovered it was Stage 3 Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. Our summer came to a screeching halt as she started chemotherapy. The day after she was diagnosed she asked me to give money to the box at McDonald’s for kids with cancer and decided to come up with an idea to raise funds and awareness ourselves for kids with cancer like Lynden. As she went through treatments we started making and selling bracelets with 100% of the money going to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. In one month she raised over $10,000. We have enlisted the help of many friends, family members and volunteers who are now helping us so we can continue raise awareness as funds. We learned quickly that these kids don’t need more coloring books and crayons, what they really need are better, less damaging treatments and cures. #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #hayestough #gogold #lymphoma

Did you know that treatment for some childhood cancers last years? #gogold #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth

Meet Crosby, a little boy that HayesTough helped in 2018....here is a spotlight and message from his mom: This is Crosby. He had a highly aggressive brain tumor called Glioblastoma, which took his life less than one week after his symptoms first appeared. His symptoms gradually intensified over 6 days starting with a headache, then becoming lethargic, and eventually he started vomiting. I remember telling myself not to be dramatic when he started throwing up and my mind went straight ‘brain tumor’. I remember being so concerned that he had these symptoms but no fever - I just wanted to know that his body was fighting something.
On the 4th of July, 2018, Crosby was getting weaker so we took him to the ER thinking he needed IV fluids in order to fight what the doctor had said was probably a virus. Crosby suffered a stroke on the way to the hospital and never regained consciousness. Scans showed a mass on his brain stem, but we didn’t even know for certain that it was a tumor until the autopsy came back, 3 months later.
Crosby never got a diagnosis, let alone a fight - isn’t that crazy to wish our son could’ve had brain surgery and radiation, which likely would have taken away his ability to walk or talk? There were so many times in those last days when I thought Crosby was on the mend because he was playing like normal, or he held his food down for an hour. We just didn’t realize the monster in our midst. Cancer snuck up on us and now we miss our happy boy more than words can say, but we will never stop being grateful that we got our Crosby for almost 3 whole years. #hayestough #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #childhoodcancerawareness

This cutie is Andre. He got diagnosed with brain cancer in October of 2018. His surgery was a success in that they were able to remove the entire tumor but left him with a trachea, gtube, and unable to walk.
Luckily his tumor hasn’t came back
But his mom told me she still lives in that what if! She told me that she hates that she can’t cure him and that most people just sit and watch not being able to help. This fear and anxiety is incredibly typical for cancer parents. These parents absolutely suffer from a form of PTSD....having to battle and watch your child suffer and being completely out of control. This is one of the many sides of childhood cancer. Keep working hard little buddy! #hayestough #childhoodcancerawareness

Just to put it into perspective, chances of your child battling cancer is drastically higher than you winning the lottery! Childhood cancer is not rare! 🎗💔🎗#childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #gogold #childhoodscancer #hayestough

This is Macklyn...I remember distinctly, the day her mom posted that the doctors had no more options...all the while, Hayes slept in the crib next to me while I cried for this family I had never met. It was the first time I saw; actually SAW that kids can actually pass away from this terrible disease. For the first time I saw that Hayes had a possible alternative to surviving. Being the parent of a child battling childhood cancer is heartbreaking throughout! Sweet Mac...you fought and although I never met you, I feel like I know you. Thanks for easing me into the pain of childhood cancer loss! I have no doubt you met Hayes as he entered heaven! #childhoodcancerawareness #gogold #smackthatmack

This sucks so much! Come on America! Our kids deserve more than 4% of research funding! #morethan4 #childhoodcancerawareness #hayestough

This is Ali....a FOUR time cancer survivor! She has come so far from where she was a year ago when we made her dream come true of being a mermaid. Since last year, she has battled cancer two more times and had to fly to Stanford medical to have innovational CAR-T treatment that ultimately rid her body of this disease. What many people don’t know is that cancer treatments aren’t available everywhere. MANY families have to separate or move their entire family to a new city in order to get their child the treatment they need. Often times, one or both parents have to quit or cut back hours significantly in order to do this. Ali, #hayesarmy is so proud of you! #childhoodcancerawarenessmonth #hayestough

Repost • @tavadventures Have you been over to @exploresawyer yet? They make cool clothes for kids. The whole month of September they are donating a portion of their profits to the @hayestough Foundation and helping fight childhood cancer. Go buy a tee from them and support this amazing foundation. Photo: @sharktoof #curekids #morethan4 #curechildhoodcancer #teamava #teamavagirlfighters #cancersucks

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