06/05/2026
When McKenna was diagnosed with DIPG 15 years ago, we were thrust into a world no parent should ever have to enter. We were told from the very beginning that the disease was terminal and that our best option was to go home and make memories with our daughter. There were very few clinical trials available, and even among researchers, there was little confidence that any would change the outcome.
When McKenna passed away, we made a promise that her bright life and heartbreaking loss would have meaning. We were determined to do everything we could to ensure that the children and families who came after us would be given something we were not: hope. That promise became the McKenna Claire Foundation.
Over the past 15 years, thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we have funded groundbreaking research, helped launch innovative clinical trials, and worked alongside leading researchers, institutions, and foundations around the world. Together, we have helped move the field forward and deepen our understanding of this devastating disease.
While DIPG remains one of the most challenging pediatric cancers, progress is happening. New discoveries are improving quality of life, extending survival for some children, and creating possibilities that simply did not exist when McKenna was diagnosed.
But our work is far from finished. Today, research funding is more limited than ever, and scientists are increasingly dependent on philanthropic organizations like the McKenna Claire Foundation to sustain momentum and pursue the next breakthrough. Every advancement, every clinical trial, and every step toward a cure depends on continued investment.
Our children deserve nothing less.
We are profoundly grateful for your support and belief in our mission. Together, we can continue to fund the research that gives families answers, creates new treatment options, and offers hope where there was once none.
**** Special thanks to our friends at ChadTough for the graphic and inspiration for this post
