Marshall Kids Cancer Foundation

10/19/2026

QUESTIONS THAT BREAK YOUR HEART. 💔

As adults, we worry about so much when a child is diagnosed with cancer.

The germs they’re exposed to. Their confidence. Their treatment plan. Their physical health. We try to protect them from everything we possibly can, sometimes handling them with kid gloves because we want to make an already difficult journey just a little easier.

But sometimes, we forget that their little minds work differently than ours.

They know they’re “sick.” And when you’re a kid, you know that sick can mean contagious. You know you stay home from school when you have the flu. You know you can catch a cold from a friend.

So, naturally, questions come up.

“Mom, is cancer contagious? Can I give it to the other kids in my class?”

Let that sink in for a moment. 😭

A child navigating a cancer diagnosis is also trying to understand what that diagnosis means in their world. A world where sharing germs is a real concern, where missing school means missing friends, and where being different can feel scary.

These are the little thoughts and questions we don't always anticipate. The conversations we never thought we'd need to have. The worries that might never cross our minds as adults but make perfect sense to a child.

And sometimes, the questions that break our hearts aren't the big, scary ones. They're the innocent ones that remind us just how much a child is trying to make sense of something no child should ever have to face.

So, let's talk about it.

💛 No, cancer is not contagious. You cannot catch cancer from hugging a friend, sitting beside them, or playing together. A child with cancer is still the same child they were before their diagnosis. They still need friendship, laughter, inclusion, and the freedom to just be a kid.

🎗️💛🎗️

10/08/2026

A HUGE thank-you to Justin and Michelle Lurkins at Hillbilly Custom Cycles, the riders from Sons of Service, and everyone who came out for Bike Night at High Octane in September!

Not only did you all know how to show young Marshall a GOOD TIME… you also showed up for our mission in a BIG way. Thank you for your incredibly generous $500 donation to the Marshall Kids Cancer Foundation! 💛🎗️

Your donation will help us continue supporting local children and families facing pediatric cancer, and we are so grateful!

Not to mention, Marshall had an absolute blast at Bike Night, and we loved seeing his smile while feeling all that community support around him. Thank you for showing up, making memories, and reminding us once again just how incredible this community is. 💛

You guys are pretty awesome.

10/07/2026

CELEBRATING CLEAR SCANS with our favorite little family across the river! 💛🎗️💛

Sweet Beckham just celebrated another HUGE milestone, and we are HERE. FOR. IT! 🥹💛

Christina and Whitney were once complete strangers... two moms who happened to find each other while both of their boys were in the thick of cancer treatment.

And somewhere along the way, “You were the friend I didn’t know I needed” became their mantra.

There’s something incredibly special about the friendships that come from the hardest seasons of life. The kind where you don’t have to explain the fear. The hospital stays. The waiting. The scans. The emotions that come with watching your child fight cancer.

You just... get it

Whitney cheers for our foundation the way we cheer for her boy, and even though there are miles between us, there is absolutely no shortage of love. 💛

So today, we’re celebrating Beckham’s clear scans, celebrating his determination, celebrating his family, and celebrating the beautiful friendship that came from two families simply trying to make it through.

🎗💛🎗

10/07/2026

SPECIAL DELIVERY. 💛 Mom to Mom.

When Christina and Marshall heard about Elias and his family, they knew immediately that they needed to wrap this family in the MKCF family.

Elias is just 11 months old (he has his 1st birthday coming up on Oct. 14 🎂) and is currently fighting Myeloid Leukemia. Diagnosed in June, this tiny fighter has already been through more than any child ever should.

His first round of treatment brought two viruses, a lung infection, HFM, mucositis, and breathing complications that landed him in the PICU for respiratory support.

But Elias kept fighting. 💪

He took on his second round like a champ, and somewhere along the way, he decided it was also time to start crawling. 🥹💛

Now, he is facing his third round of intense chemotherapy and recovering from a bone marrow transplant.

And his donor?
His very own mom, Patti.

Meeting Patti was incredibly inspiring. To connect with a mother who is watching her baby fight cancer while simultaneously giving everything she possibly can to help save him… there really aren't words for that kind of strength.

Mom to mom, I left that visit thinking about how incredibly courageous pediatric cancer moms are. How much they carry. How they keep showing up, even on the days when they are scared, exhausted, and hurting right alongside their child.

Cancer is a wrecking ball.

It doesn't just affect a child's body. It turns a family's entire world upside down. The fear, the uncertainty, the exhaustion, the grief... it is more than most people will (fortunately) ever understand.

We can't take that pain away.
But we can show up.

We can remind a family that they aren't alone.
We can bring a little comfort into a hospital room.
We can wrap them in love when they need it most.

So this delivery is more than a care package.....

It's a little piece of the MKCF family, sent from one mom to another, with a whole lot of love.

To sweet Elias and his family: we are wrapping you in all the love we have. 💛

09/30/2026

September is coming to an end.
But childhood cancer doesn't. 💛🎗

The gold ribbons may come down. The awareness posts may slow down. The calendar may turn to October...

But families are still sitting in hospital rooms.
Kids are still fighting.
Parents are still waiting for scan results.
And families are still needing support.

So, let's not let September be the only month we show up.

Keep talking.
Keep supporting.
Keep showing up.

Because childhood cancer deserves our attention all year long. 💛

09/29/2026

💛 MEET THE FIRST-EVER MARSHALL KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 💛

One of the most meaningful moments of Saturday’s Miles for Marshall 5K was presenting our very first Marshall Kids Cancer Foundation scholarship to Ambrea Doll.

Ambrea is a pediatric cancer survivor and a high school senior who knows firsthand what it means to face childhood cancer. (She's about to hit 3.5 years of remission! 👊) Her own journey has left a lasting impact on her, and it has inspired her to turn that experience into a purpose: she plans to pursue a career as a pediatric oncology nurse. 🎗️

She wants to be there for kids and families walking a road she knows all too well. To take what she experienced and use it to help others is incredibly special.

And now, the Marshall Kids Cancer Foundation gets to play a small part in helping her take that next step.

Ambrea, we are SO proud of you. We are honored to invest in your future, and we cannot wait to see where your heart and your passion take you. 💛

Congratulations, Ambrea! Our first scholarship recipient.... and hopefully the first of many. 🎓🎗️💛

📸: Photography by Amanda (Amanda Hinkle)

09/22/2026

What is maintenance chemotherapy?

When you hear that a child with leukemia is in maintenance, it can sound like treatment is “almost over.”

But maintenance is still treatment.

For many children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), maintenance is the longest phase of therapy. The goal is to keep leukemia from coming back by continuing treatment after the more intensive phases are complete.

Maintenance treatment is generally less intensive than earlier phases, but it can still involve daily medications, regular chemotherapy, spinal injections, clinic visits, bloodwork, and ongoing monitoring. The exact treatment schedule varies from child to child.

And while a child may be back at school, playing with friends, participating in activities, and looking more like themselves again, their cancer journey isn't over.

For families, maintenance can mean finding a new rhythm... balancing school, activities, medications, appointments, side effects, and all the emotions that come with a long road of treatment.

We know that support doesn’t stop when the most visible parts of treatment do.

Childhood cancer is a journey, and families deserve support for every mile of it. 💛

09/20/2026

We’re hearing that 266 runners are now registered for the 2026 Miles for Marshall 5K Trail Run for Childhood Cancer! What an incredible response from our community!

Proceeds from the event benefit Marshall Kids Cancer Foundation, helping us continue our mission of supporting local children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

We are so proud of the Miles for Marshall team and the outstanding job they’re doing to bring awareness to pediatric cancer and rally our community around these families. What started from one family’s journey has grown into something that reaches so many. 💛

We hope you’ll join us at Patriot’s Park next Saturday!

IT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND!
The 2026 Miles for Marshall 5K Trail Run for Childhood Cancer is almost here!

Whether you’re a runner, a walker, a stroller-pusher, or just ready to come out and support an amazing cause, there’s a place for you at Patriot's Park! 💛

📅 Saturday, September 26 | 10am
📍 Patriot’s Park | Greenville, IL

Come enjoy the beautiful trails, bring your family, cheer on the participants, grab some food, play some carnival games, and be part of a community showing up for children and families facing pediatric cancer.

👉 It’s not too late to register!
https://milesformarshall.com/register

09/20/2026

We GO GOLD for the fighters.

For the kids fighting. 💛
For the parents fighting beside them.
For the siblings whose worlds changed, too.
For the families learning how to find normal in the middle of the unimaginable.
.. And for the children whose stories ended far too soon.

This September, we're going gold for every one of them. 🎗💛