Penelope Rae Foundation

05/13/2026

02/22/2026

A world of support for pediatric leukemia families is just a click away. Unlock ways to help and make a difference by visiting our website today.

06/26/2025

No family should walk the pediatric leukemia journey alone, even in our home state of New Jersey.

That’s why we’re proud to spotlight some truly life-changing resources in our community ⤵️

💙 Supportive cancer groups
💆 Emotional & psychiatric care
🦮 Therapy dogs & respite services
💰 Financial assistance programs
🫶 Nonprofits working with families

If you’re looking for help (or know someone who is) save or share this post.

And if you’re in a place to support, consider donating to the Penelope Rae Foundation. Every gift empowers us to guide families toward healing, connection, and relief.

Together, we can turn isolation into community. 💛

06/25/2025

Dear Parent...

We know your world just cracked wide open.

We remember the hospital lights. The doctors’ voices. The way time stopped when they said the word “leukemia” (which you never thought you’d have to hear in the context of your child).

You are probably terrified. Exhausted. Maybe numb. You might be Googling at 2am. Or pretending to be strong when your body just wants to collapse.

We’ve been there.

We know what it’s like to whisper “you’re okay” to your child while you’re silently falling apart.

We know the ache of watching them get poked and prodded. The guilt of missing your other kids. The loneliness of sitting next to a sleeping toddler, wondering how your life became unrecognizable overnight.

You’re not weak for feeling this way. You’re a parent in survival mode—and you are doing so much better than you think.

Here’s what we want you to know:

You don’t have to do this alone.

That’s why we created the Penelope Rae Foundation.

So that other families would have someone to call.

So that you would have a place to go when you don’t know what to do next.

We offer emotional support, local resources, mental health help, respite care, and—maybe most importantly—another parent on the other end of the line who just gets it.

When you’re ready, we’re here.

With all our heart,
Fallon and Tommy
Two fellow parents who have walked this road 🧡

06/24/2025

August 1, 2024. Diagnosis day. It’s coming up on one year since we were sitting along with Penelope in an emergency room with what we thought was either Lyme, Bell’s Palsy, or some kind of weird toddler virus.

But then came the scans we didn’t expect...the questions that felt a little too serious...the doctors who started showing up in groups instead of one by one.

Then they told us Penelope had leukemia. Cancer.

I still remember how stricken the doctors looked. The look of sorrow on the nurse’s face, without her having to say a word to us. After they left, we sat in that emergency room for hours with our minds racing, our hearts in shock, and trying to stay calm for our girl.

Then, having to call our families and blindside them with the news, while still not knowing any answers ourselves. Googling acute myeloid leukemia and the survival rates. Researching what treatment for our 2-year-old baby girl would look like.

In one day, we had to change for Penelope. We were no longer the same people who walked into that hospital.

It’s been almost a year since that day, and now that Penelope is in remission, it finally feels like our bodies are beginning to relax again. It’s been such an incredibly hard year.

We can’t thank you enough for your love and helping us through it all. Thanks for being here. Thanks for supporting us and our family. We wouldn’t be here without you.

06/23/2025

No one should have to face pediatric leukemia alone.

The Penelope Rae Foundation is here for you. We are working hard behind the scenes to create more resources for support programs, educational workshops, and one-on-one volunteer connections to help you and your loved ones navigate diagnosis and beyond.

💻 Visit peneloperae.org to learn more about our foundation and how we can help your family!
💌 Send this to someone going through treatment to know there are people out there who are ready to help.

06/20/2025

Join us starting this Sunday at the Nutley Farmer’s Market! ☀️🎤

06/17/2025

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” - Bob Marley ❤️‍🩹

For parents in the midst of a pediatric leukemia diagnosis, the burdens are high:
Being blindsided by a diagnosis and having to learn about it on the fly
Grieving the hardships they anticipate for their child
Pausing work short-term (or quitting)
Transportation back and forth to the hospital
Sibling and pet care
And more 💔

Every single dollar of your donations helps ease these emotional and financial barriers that pediatric cancer parents go through.

Our nonprofit seeks to create a legacy of hope for those who are in the toughest battle of their lives.

Visit the link in bio to donate right now. Donations of every size go a long way, and every single dollar goes directly towards resources to help parents in our community face a pediatric leukemia diagnosis 🎗️ We are so thankful for your support! 🧡

06/11/2025

Overwhelmed by the words “pediatric leukemia”? You’re not alone 🧡

This post breaks down what AML is, what to look for, and what treatment might look like—parent to parent.

📲 Save this to come back to later, or share it with someone who might need it. You never know who’s quietly searching for answers.