Brave Like McKenna

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Brave Like McKenna

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In honor of McKenna Royer, we support children and families navigating pediatric cancer.

Brave Like McKenna brings hope through “Brave Bags,” financial assistance, and advocacy- because every child deserves a chance, and no family has to fight alone.

10/20/2026

There is no way to prepare yourself for how quickly cancer can change your life.
These two pictures are only 17 days apart.
17 DAYS.

What was supposed to be the start of a new school year, became the start of McKenna fighting for her life.

You go from thinking about their new teacher, their friends, excitement for their hobbies, to understanding medical terms that you've never heard of or never realized would be part of your everyday vocabulary.

You go from being a parent to being a warrior right alongside them.

Keith and Janell Royer, McKenna's parents, understand what families are navigating when they find out their child has cancer... and that is why Brave Like McKenna exists.
The heart of our mission is family support, because families don't have to fight cancer alone.💛🎗️

10/10/2026

What a morning! 🎃💛
Today, Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Olathe had the pleasure of sponsoring the Jared Coones Pumpkin Run, where roughly 3,600 people showed up in Olathe to support an incredible organization that does so much for our KC community!
We handed out Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe pickle juice shots and chips, and had the opportunity to share McKenna’s story, the mission of Brave Like McKenna, and our chip campaign with so many people. 💛
And let’s just say… the Pickleman’s mascot did pretty good! 😂 Especially considering the 46-year-old in the suit! 🥒🙌
It was so good to see our community show up in such a big way! It takes all of us showing up, spreading awareness, and supporting one another to make a difference.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our Pickleman’s tent, listened to McKenna’s story, and continues to help us bring childhood cancer awareness to our community. Together, we can make a difference for families fighting pediatric cancer. 💛🎗️
Let’s keep going gold for our kids!

10/09/2026

🥊 FIGHTER FRIDAY: Meet Wyatt! 💜
Sweet Wyatt has already faced more in her first year of life than any child should have to.
Just shy of 3 months old, Wyatt was taken to her pediatrician for what her family thought was an ear infection. Bloodwork revealed something much more serious... her bone marrow wasn’t functioning properly.
After weeks of testing at MU Women’s & Children’s and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Wyatt was diagnosed with KMT2A-rearranged infantile B-cell ALL.
She started treatment in February and reached remission in March. But during her third phase of treatment, Wyatt’s cancer relapsed.
This week, Wyatt had a bone marrow transplant in hopes of eradicating all the cancer from her body.
Through it all, Wyatt keeps showing the strength of a true warrior.

We are especially excited to celebrate that Wyatt turned ONE in September! 🎂🎈 At only one year old, she is already proving how strong she is.
Please help us surround Wyatt, Morgan, John, and big brother Wynn with love, prayers, and encouragement as they continue this fight.
Keep fighting, sweet Wyatt and family.
You are never fighting alone.

10/05/2026

What a beautiful weekend in Shawnee!☀️
Yesterday the Grey Oaks Neighborhood hosted their annual BBQ and this year the recipient of all the proceeds was Brave like McKenna! 🫶🏻
Our generous community continues to amaze us! This Grey Oaks Give Back event raised over $12,000 to support our mission to support families who have a child diagnosed with cancer.
Thank you so much Grey Oaks neighborhood!!!
Your generosity is going to support so many families in need💛

10/02/2026

September and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month may be over, but there is still work to be done... and awareness remains at the top of the list.

Our mission and purpose is clear.

💛We support families who have a child with cancer.

Without support, some families can't afford to get their child the treatment they need, they can't travel to a potential clinical trial, they can't take time off work, etc. And if they can't do that... the treatment plan may look different.
The survival rate could look different, too, when families can't access treatments.

That is why families are our biggest priority.

We invite you to continue raising awareness even though Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is over.

✨ Here are 4 ways you can continue to support awareness. ✨
1. Become a monthly donor. You can start as low as $14 a month to honor McKenna.
2. Follow us on social media and engage with our content by liking, commenting and sharing our posts! This helps families who need us find us organically.
3. Join our email list so you're the first to hear about events and volunteer opportunities.
4. Wear Brave Like McKenna gear and share our mission with others!

May we all continue to be brave like McKenna every day and continue fighting for kids with cancer.🎗️

10/01/2026

August 16, 2023 was a day that changed Avery and Jamison's lives forever.
On that day, their sister McKenna, was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Life as they knew it was turned upside down and inside out.
The months that followed required them to be strong, brave, cooperative, kind, independent, responsible and so many other things.

They didn't have cancer... but childhood cancer changed their lives, too.

Siblings who are watching someone they love battle cancer are people that we don't hear enough about, because all the attention is turned to the fighter. And they deserve that attention for sure, but the siblings are fighting their own battle as well.

Their childhood will forever be changed by a diagnosis they didn't receive.
A diagnosis that will leave permanent scars on the family.

Brave Like McKenna honors and supports the entire family, including siblings, because we've seen all that Avery and Jamison have sacrificed since McKenna's diagnosis. We know firsthand the impact that a diagnosis can have.

We have also seen them take the loss of their sister and become more compassionate and more willing to shine a light on a dark disease, and ultimately, the one who took their best friend, and their sister.

Siblings... we see you.
We know that Childhood Cancer impacts the entire family, and we want you to know you aren't alone.
You're a fighter, too.

09/30/2026

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is coming to an end, but we are turning the calendar over with full hearts of gratitude.
This month our community showed up big time, we made new and unexpected connections and used our voices for change.
All while remembering McKenna during her birthday month.

✨We honored McKenna on her 14th birthday on September 9th.
✨Our annual Glow Walk was a huge success, even if a thunderstorm tried to wreck our plans!
✨The Royer's went to Washington for CureFest for Childhood Cancer and Climb the Hill with KIDS V CANCER and shared McKenna's journey and used their story to inspire hope and change.
✨Students and families from Unified School District #232 showed their support at several different sporting events wearing Brave Like McKenna socks or arm bands.
✨7 Brew Coffee chose us as their Charitable Partner for their new Shawnee, KS location and they donated $20,000 to our foundation.
✨We gave our first ever scholarship to one of our brave fighters.
✨Janell got to spend a morning with one of our fighters and her Mom for a morning all about her in partnership with lululemon and Kendra Scott.
✨We participated in Kingdom Clash and had a blast with other nonprofit organizations.

💛Thank you all for everything you do for our mission.
Every time you engage on social media, every donation, every time you share our story, every time you volunteer... it ALL matters.
It raises awareness which inspires change, which is what we need.
Because no child should ever have to face cancer, and no family should ever feel the grief we have felt losing McKenna.

Together, we are shining McKenna's light into the dark places of childhood cancer and giving families hope and support when it matters most. Thank you for joining us in the fight against childhood cancer. 🎗️

09/27/2026

To round out Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, me, McKenna’s mom, wants to take a minute to shine a light on the ripple effect childhood cancer has on another group of kids we don’t talk about enough… their friends.

From the moment McKenna was diagnosed, we were absolutely flooded with people reaching out, loving on us and wanting to help in any way they could. And her 11-year-old friends, boys and girls, were right there with them.

They wanted to do something. Anything.

Some brought her favorite drinks, skincare, cozy things, little treats and all the things they knew would make McKenna feel loved.
And she did. She felt so loved.
But then these kids had to watch their friend, someone who had been a staple in their lives, fight cancer, become sick, and ultimately pass away.
That wrecks me to my core when I think about it.
Losing a friend at 11 is hard to comprehend even at 46. I can’t imagine trying to process that kind of loss as a child.

But what I have watched since has been nothing short of God working in and through these young people.
Every week, I’m met with a smile, a hug at the grocery store, a wave from across a football stadium, or a text from one of these kids who loved McKenna.
And they aren’t just remembering her.
They have big hearts and big ideas.
They want to help bridge the gap for other children and families experiencing what they experienced with their friend, McKenna.
They are taking something that broke their hearts and choosing to do something with it.
That is the ripple effect.

Childhood cancer doesn’t just affect the child who gets the diagnosis.
It changes siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers, teammates and friends.
McKenna’s friends have carried a piece of her with them as they’ve grown up. And through all of the heartbreak, I get to watch them turn that pain into love, compassion and action.
I couldn’t be more proud of them.
And I couldn’t be more grateful that they loved our girl so fiercely.
They mattered then.
They matter now.
And they will always be a part of McKenna’s story. 💛🎗️

Address

2401 Gillham Rd
Kansas City, MO
64108

Website

http://www.bravelikemckenna.org/

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