09/01/2026
September is Childhood Awareness Month and here at KiDS NEED MoRE we love to celebrate our spectacular Camp Warriors! Here is one of our Campers amazing Stories.
Meet Yanuel Benavides 💛🎗️
Yanuel Benavides was born on October 20, 2011, in Bay Shore, New York. He is a loving, affectionate, and somewhat shy 14-year-old with a story of incredible strength, faith, and hope.
In March 2014, at just two and a half years old, Yanuel was diagnosed with Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (Pre-B ALL). For three years, he endured chemotherapy, medications and daily steroids at home, multiple spinal taps, a port in his chest, and many hospital stays when his platelet counts became dangerously low. He lost his hair several times, and the treatments caused many changes to his little body. Yet, through it all, he kept fighting.
During those difficult years, Yanuel was surrounded by wonderful doctors, nurses, and Child Life Specialists who cared for him with so much love. They helped make his hospital and clinic visits a little easier, giving him moments to laugh, play, and simply be a child without thinking about his illness or treatment. Their kindness will always be an important part of his story.
After three years of treatment, on November 15, 2017, Yanuel rang the bell and celebrated the end of his cancer treatment. Today, by the grace of God, he is a healthy teenager who has been in remission since 2017.
Yanuel speaks English, Spanish, and French. He loves Chinese food, playing Grand Theft Auto, and listening to Travis Scott. He is a student at Central Islip High School, entering 10th grade this fall, and is interested in exploring mechanics as he thinks about his future.
His cancer journey is part of his story, but it does not define him. Today, Yanuel is simply a teenager growing, dreaming, making memories, and looking toward the future a future we once prayed he would have the chance to see.
From a little boy fighting cancer to a teenager dreaming about tomorrow, Yanuel is living proof that there is life, hope, and a beautiful future beyond childhood cancer. 💛🎗️
