Cancer Kids First

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Merrifield, VA
Cancer Kids First

The world’s largest youth-led cancer nonprofit normalizing the hospital environment and providing a loving community for kids with cancer. 🎗️

06/02/2026

This past weekend, Cancer Kids First hosted our very first conference, themed YOUth Can Change the World—and what a powerful beginning it was. 🌎🕊️🎗️

Over two days, ~100 young changemakers from across the United States and around the world, including Romania, Ukraine, and the Philippines, came together to learn, connect, and explore what it means to create impact. Attendees were challenged to think bigger about the change they can create in their communities and beyond, aligning with our nonprofit’s belief that young people have the power to lead, serve, and shape the future.

What made this conference special was that service was ingrained not only into the speaker topics but also into the activities. On May 30th, participants gathered at Columbia to listen to a Women Breaking Barriers panel—featuring all women of color, fireside chats on environmental justice and global health leadership, and more. On May 31st, workshops were organized at the Harlem State Office Building to engage students in forward-thinking activities with themes like “How to Build a Nonprofit from the Ground Up” (ft. ) and “Confidence and Positivity” (ft. ). In between panels, attendees created cards for kids with cancer under our Arts program. Simultaneously, CKF raised funds to create care packages for patients at and . We closed off with a networking brunch for speakers and attendees, designed to ensure long-lasting relationships were the biggest takeaway.

Thank you to our incredible team, speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees for helping bring this vision to life. Your willingness to share your experiences, ideas, and encouragement made this weekend truly special. Thank you to for partnering with us to make this event successful!

This was our first YOUth Can Change the World Conference, but it certainly won’t be our last. ✨

05/27/2026

Six years ago, Cancer Kids First started with one teenager, one laptop, and one goal: making sure no child fights cancer alone.

At 14 years old, our founder Olivia Zhang began creating cards and care packages for pediatric cancer patients from her bedroom. Today, Cancer Kids First has grown into the world’s largest youth-led cancer nonprofit, with 43,000+ volunteers across 80 countries supporting thousands of children and families through treatment, creativity, and human connection. 💛

From hospital art programs and patient mentorship to treatment support and global volunteer initiatives, every part of our mission is built around one belief: young people have the power to create real change.

But there’s still so much more to do.

If you’re a pediatric cancer patient or family looking for support, we’d love for you to join our programs.
 If you want to make a difference, we’re always looking for volunteers, donors, and partners to help us reach even more children around the world.

Because no child should face cancer alone—and no young person is too young to change the world. 🌎🎗️

Apply, volunteer, or support our mission at cancerkidsfirst.org

05/24/2026

Creativity and compassion coming together 💛 Schools and sororities joined hands to create heartfelt cards for children in the Cancer Kids First Arts Program.

05/12/2026

Are you a young leader interested in expanding your entrepreneurial abilities?

On May 30th and 31st, you could get the opportunity to participate in a free NYC conference, meet the Cancer Kids First team, and learn from INCREDIBLE guest speakers who have built companies and attracted millions of followers. From participating in interactive non-profit workshops to hearing our speakers’ stories in social impact panels, you could expand your network and skill sets.

Some of our featured speakers include .lough, , , , .w.hayakawa of , and so many more.

If you are interested, apply using the link in our bio until May 17th at 11:59 PM! 🗽

newyork

05/06/2026

Our work in Uganda reminded us why this mission is so urgent 🇺🇬

Through one of our incredible CKF volunteers Moesha (), we reached nearly 90 pediatric cancer patients at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital this week. Moesha helped deliver 100 care packages, with additional supplies left behind for incoming patients throughout the week.

Each care package was thoughtfully designed to support both physical and emotional well-being. Kits included essentials like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, wipes, tissues, and towels, along with comfort items like blankets and teddy bears, and educational activities such as coloring books and crayons to bring moments of joy during treatment.

As with every hospital dropoff, we learned more about the cancer landscape.

The head doctor shared that while access to treatment is already limited, what’s often overlooked is the lack of psychosocial and emotional support for children battling cancer. Many patients face not only the physical toll of the disease, but also fear, isolation, and a lack of resources to support their mental well-being during treatment.

Globally, hundreds of thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer each year—yet in low- and middle-income countries, survival rates can be as low as 20%, compared to over 80% in higher-income countries. The gap needs to be closed through increased access and support systems. This is why CKF’s Treatment Services Program exists.

This is what youth-led impact looks like.

And we’re just getting started.

More to come soon💙

04/24/2026

Calling all young leaders aged 13-21! 🚀🌱

Cancer Kids First is hosting its first-ever social impact and leadership conference themed “YOUth Can Change the World”🗽⭐️. From May 29th-31st, attendees will get to spend a powerful weekend in New York City with the CKF leadership team with access to workshops, service events, and networking opportunities. The event-filled weekend will include brunch at , guest speaker sessions, a care package assembly to support 70+ patients in NYC, and an opportunity to meet and forge connections with top company executives and fellow youth leaders like and . We’re excited to work with the NYC nonprofit NYC for Youth Inc. () to host this special conference.

CKF is incredibly grateful to our donors for being able to provide accommodations (hotel stay) for 20 applicants. All other applicants must book their own travel and accommodation.

Come learn with us, make a real difference for our patients, and develop your own leadership skills to inspire and invoke change. Link in bio to apply!

04/19/2026

This National Volunteer Week, we’re celebrating the heart behind everything we do.

At Cancer Kids First, our volunteers are the fuel and manpower behind everything we do to help kids with cancer worldwide. It is because of them that we are a sustainable and highly-impactful organization.

Our impact comes to life through two incredible teams:

✨ Events & Fundraising Team: organizing hospital visits, community events, and campaigns that raise both funds and builds friendships for kids with cancer—virtually and in-person

🎨 Arts Team: creating heartfelt cards, crafts, and other creative projects that bring smiles, encouragement, and moments of light to kids during their hardest days

Every message written, every event planned, every dollar raised adds up to something bigger, and it only happens because of our incredible volunteers.

Thank you to every volunteer who makes this mission possible.

You are the reason we can keep showing up, and without the selfless donation of your time and efforts, CKF wouldn’t be the nonprofit that it is today.

04/10/2026

Another one of our INCREDIBLE patients, Jyreece, received 450+ handmade and digital cards and crafts this past week through our CKF Arts Program🧑‍🎨🎨

Jyreece is 4 and diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Thank you to all of our volunteers who participated in this week’s opportunity to remind Jyreece and her family of the incredible support and community they have behind them.

04/07/2026

Last week, CKF Arts volunteers sent over 400 CARDS to Sunny, a 5 year old diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL HR-FAV)👸🎀༘

True to her name, the pictures we got back of Sunny’s smiles and positivity made this April just a little bit sweeter☀️ We customized the cards to Sunny’s favorite Disney princesses—Elsa and Anna—and her hometown team.

Our goal is to provide kids with cancer with a community, and the work our volunteers put into our Arts program—especially in their handmade cards—make patients’ days brighter while showing them the support system they have across the country and world.

Address

Merrifield, VA

Telephone

+15714777731

Website

https://www.cancerkidsfirst.org/

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