Kameron's Krusaders

Kameron's Krusaders is on a journey to support chronically ill children, their families, and the programs designed to help fight pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

March 24, 2017 changed our lives forever. Our 8-year-old son Kameron and his older brother were at the park and he fell off of his scooter. Not a big deal, as Kameron was accustomed to bumps and bruises from playing club soccer for years. But this felt different. Kameron almost immediately started showing signs of a softball-sized bruise on his thigh. We took him to his pediatrician that afternoon and blood tests were run. At first, we were told that Kameron probably just had a temporary blood disorder as a result of a virus he had a couple weeks prior. After more results came back, we were referred to Phoenix Children's Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. More blood tests, an MRI, a CT Scan, a PET Scan and 7 days later, we were told that Kameron had Stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive pediatric cancer. Our world was shattered.

Kameron would spend the next 54 weeks in and out of the PCH Clinic receiving chemotherapy treatment. In addition, he received 6 straight weeks of radiation at the Mayo Clinic. The treatment was rigorous and grueling, but Kameron faced it head on, showing everyone just how brave, faithful and strong he could be. He even managed to pepper in some laughter and joy, just to keep everyone's spirits high. At the end of this long journey, he was deemed cancer free. And for an amazing 4 months, our family started to put the pieces back together, even getting to see Kameron back out on the soccer field. Our rebuilding efforts were cut short when we received notification that his cancer was back.

Kameron would spend the next 8 months receiving weekly chemo treatments in an effort to eradicate the cancer once again. And once again, Kameron was successful. But similar to his previous result, his cancer would come back for a third time. With no additional treatment options available, we focused on making Kameron as comfortable as possible. On July 15, 2019, Kameron was finally fully healed in heaven.

Throughout our 2½ year journey, our family was blessed to participate in many programs designed to uplift and encourage families and their children going through treatment. And although these programs do an amazing job, more can be done. Kameron's Krusaders was founded in September 2019 with the goal of support programs designed to help families and their children fight pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We learned a tremendous amount from Kameron's journey, and we wanted to have a way to educate the community about pediatric cancer/chronic illnesses and help families facing similar journeys as ours. Knowing that we wanted to hit the ground running, we partnered with the Arizona Community Foundation to provide the 501(c)3 status necessary to start collecting donations and serving these families immediately. And in October of 2020, Kameron's Krusaders officially become a 501(c)3.

Kameron's Krusaders has continued to serve The Valley of the Sun by pursuing all fundraising efforts, even through the extremely difficult Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, we were able to raise more than $20,000, which we used to fund our most valuable programs including:

• Snacks & More - A monthly snack donation program that takes the unique cravings of children going through treatment and provides quick and yummy options during extended stays at the clinic.
• This Tanks on Us - A quarterly program that provides gas gift cards to families to help offset the financial burden of weekly or sometimes daily trips to the clinic for treatment.
• Kards for Kiddos - A seasonal program designed to provide gift cards during the holidays for kiddos and their siblings to purchase toys, activities, and fun tech.

Testimonials

"Thank you so much for the gift cards for our family this Christmas. Our daughter was diagnosed with LCH last February and is currently receiving treatment through March. This year has been difficult and we knew this Christmas would be different. Receiving your gift cards was such a sweet surprise and we felt a weight lifted off our shoulders. My daughter has received donated items from you while receiving treatment...and after looking at your website I was impressed. What an amazing young man Kameron must have been and my his legacy continue to live on through your thoughtful acts of kindness like ones you have already shown my family and daughter in so many ways. " ~Erika