Children's Cancer Association, JoyRx

04/06/2026

In honor of Gov Ball this weekend — did you know one of the performers has a personal connection to cancer?
Michelle Zauner, lead singer of Japanese Breakfast, lost her mother to cancer in 2014. She wrote about it in Crying in H Mart, a memoir that spent 55 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She also performed for hospitalized kids as part of our concert series back in 2018 — a bedroom, a guitar, a song for kids in the hospital.
You can watch the video on our YouTube channel here

Let's celebrate Bedstock 2018, an online music festival where we pe...

26/05/2026

Cécile McLorin Salvant is a three-time Grammy Award winner and one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists working today. She also recorded a performance of The Trolley Song — the 1944 Meet Me in St. Louis classic — for JoyRx Music.
It's now live on the Children's Cancer Association YouTube channel.
Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/

19/05/2026

What does it look like to stream live music to a child in a NICU in Georgia, then pivot to a song request concert in Massachusetts, then record a personalized song for a family in California — all in the same day? That's a Tuesday for Gabby, Dylan, and Kelsey, our JoyRx Music Digital Live team. We just published a behind-the-scenes look at this program: how it started (spoiler: a pandemic-era refusal to let hospitalized kids go without music), how it works, and why the specialists who run it say it's the best job they've ever had. Read more on our blog, here:

When Children's Cancer Association was founded in 1995, its flagship program — JoyRx Music — was built on a simple, powerful idea: bring live music directly to children in the hospital. For decades, trained JoyRx Music Specialists visited kids bedside at local Portland hospitals, creating person...

14/05/2026

Every gift — no matter how it's given — helps a seriously ill child feel like a kid again. 💜 Through our free JoyRx Music, Mentorship, and Nature programs, we bring moments of joy to children facing cancer and other serious illnesses. Stock, DAF, or crypto — your gift this spring makes that possible. Give here:
https://www.joyrx.org/donate-stock-daf

09/05/2026

Portland Fire WNBA’s first home game is today. And we’re cheering extra loudly, especially since a group of JoyRx served children will be watching at Moda Center!

Clare Hamill, the founding & current board chair of Children's Cancer Association, is President of Portland Fire. We've seen her show up for kids and families in this city for years. Today, she's showing up for a big day in Portland sports, too.

Congratulations, Clare! 🔥❤️‍🔥

06/05/2026

Vivian came ready: flute, ukulele, and a throwback song choice that made us like her right away, "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" by She & Him.

JoyRx musicians Kelsey and Dylan joined her virtually, and the three of them made something we'll be thinking about for a long time. This is our third collaboration with at CHOC (now Rady Children’s Health), and every one has been something special.

Thank you, Vivian, for sharing music with us 🎵 Click here to watch the rest on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/

05/05/2026

This month, as part of our Live from the Heart Austin gala, we were so grateful to bring JoyRx Music Special Guest Artist Charley Crockett to join Music Specialist Monica at Dell Children's Medical Center to share some music moments and add some joy to the day. 💜🎵

We had a lot of fun singing and playing together. Thanks to all involved for sharing the power of music and connection with us!

30/04/2026

A change of scenery can mean everything for a family in the middle of treatment. 🌲 That's why we're so grateful for the team at who gave their time at our Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin and assembled JoyBags, little goodie bags filled with love, for families in the hospital.
For families who arrive at the Cabin looking for rest, reconnection, and a breath of fresh air, these small touches make a big impact. Thank you, ConMet, for helping us deliver joy all the way to the Oregon Coast. 🌊

29/04/2026

We are so grateful for every supporter, sponsor, attendee and volunteer who made our 2026 Live from the Heart Austin fundraiser a record-breaking success! Together we heard from our honored guest speaker Micah Black about the impact of our program for his family, we celebrated the power of music to uplift and connect us all with an unforgettable performance from Charley Crockett, and we shared exciting news about what is next for JoyRx programs in Austin.
Supporters came together for an unforgettable evening featuring incredible live music and a shared mission: bringing joy to children facing serious illness. A record-breaking night of fundraising came after a big announcement... JoyRx Mentorship is coming to Austin for the first time!

Our fundraising event featuring Charley Crockett was a record-setting night of fundraising for free JoyRx programs in Austin, Texas.

24/04/2026

We believe that joy has the power to transform. And sometimes, those who have experienced that transformation become the ones who pay it forward. 💜

We are beyond moved to celebrate Arnold and her mom, Monique, who have been part of the CCA family since 2019. Lizzie and Monique founded , where they organize people to sew and auction beautiful quilts, donating all proceeds to the organizations that supported Lizzie during her own treatment for pediatric cancer. They recently stopped by with a box of toys and games for our toy closet, a gesture of love that brought tears to our eyes.

To learn more about the Sandpiper Project and support their incredible work, give them a follow!