beholdbegold

08/09/2026

🎓💛 Celebrating Survivor Milestones: Congratulations, Drew!

This past June, BeholdBeGold had the honor of celebrating Drew, Class of 2026, as he earned his Master of Social Work (MSW) from Radford University! 🎉👏

Because of YOU, we have now had the privilege of celebrating 8️⃣ childhood cancer survivor graduates this year! 🥳Your generosity helps us recognize survivors’ accomplishments, celebrate their resilience, and remind them that they are seen, valued, supported, and never alone. These are the meaningful BeholdBeGold moments you make possible. 🥹🫶✨

For many people, graduation is a milestone.

For a childhood cancer survivor, it can mean so much more.

Behind this degree are years of perseverance, resilience, and determination. Pediatric cancer treatment can interrupt a child’s or adolescent’s education and development through hospital stays, chemotherapy, surgeries, painful procedures, missed school days, and countless physical and emotional challenges. Even after treatment ends, many survivors continue navigating late effects that can affect learning, memory, concentration, processing speed, fatigue, emotional well-being, and everyday life.

Yet they keep showing up.🎗️

They keep learning.🎗️

They keep growing.🎗️

They keep believing in their future.🎗️

That is why BeholdBeGold celebrates survivor milestones!

A diploma or degree represents more than academic achievement. It represents courage, hope, resilience, and the determination to keep moving forward despite obstacles that many people never see.

Drew, congratulations on earning your MSW! We are incredibly proud of everything you have accomplished and cannot wait to see the difference you will make in the lives of others through your work as a social worker. Your best chapters are still ahead! 💛

Please join us in congratulating Drew, Class of 2026, on this incredible achievement! 👏🎓

💛 Behold and Be Gold! 💛

08/08/2026

💛🎗️ TODAY is the FINAL DAY of the “Cure Kids Cancer” Radiothon!

There’s still time to make a difference! The 20th Annual “Cure Kids Cancer” Radiothon WSLC- 94.9 Star Country continues until 5:00 PM today, raising critical support for Children's Miracle Network Southwest Virginia and Carilion Children’s and the children and families in our community facing pediatric cancer!

This cause is especially close to the heart of BeholdBeGold. We believe in standing beside children during treatment, supporting survivors beyond treatment, and uplifting the families walking alongside them.

💛 You have until 5:00 PM today to donate, share, and help support this incredible local cause!

IT’S THE FINAL DAY! 🎗️

Day 2 of the 20th Annual WSLC- 94.9 Star Country Cure Kids Cancer Radiothon starts NOW! 💛🎙️

Tune in TODAY from 9 AM–5 PM for your final chance to hear the incredible stories of local children and families who have faced childhood cancer with courage, strength, and hope.

These families are the heart of Radiothon, and by sharing their stories, they’re helping make a difference for the kids who will come after them. 💛

Call: 540-987-0949
Text "CKC" to 34984
Donate now: https://donate.mygift4kids.org/donor/y/CMNQfiDkb92/CMNsGEJ2uEd/CMNd75wZdVa

All funds stay local to support Carilion Children's pediatric hematology and oncology clinic.
🙌 A huge THANK YOU to our generous sponsors who make this event possible! Shelor Toyota Ridge View Bank LifeRing Foundation Springlake Stockyard Big Lick Comic Con Kegley Electric

08/02/2026

🎟️ Tickets are limited, so reserve your spot here!
https://givebutter.com/paint-event-nbgpc1

💛🎨 BeholdBeGold, in collaboration with Canvas & Coffee Art Café, is excited to announce Paint for a Purpose: Going Gold, a special community painting fundraiser during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

We are so grateful to Canvas & Coffee Art Café for opening their doors, sharing their beautiful space, and partnering with us for this meaningful event! 🫶🎗️🎨

This is about more than painting. It is a chance for childhood cancer patients, survivors, families, friends, and community members to create, connect, raise awareness, and make a difference together!

No painting experience is needed! Bring your children, family, friends, or come on your own. This event is open to all ages and skill levels.😄🫟🖌️

📅 Saturday, September 12
🎨 Two painting sessions available
🪑 Indoor and outdoor seating options
📍 Canvas & Coffee Art Café
🎟️ $40 per participant

50% of event proceeds will support BeholdBeGold and our work to empower childhood cancer survivors beyond treatment.🎗️

Please help us spread the word and join us as we paint with purpose and Go Gold together! 💛🎗️🫶

Going Gold!

08/01/2026

💜💜💜

07/30/2026

Join us this Friday July 31rst, at "The Studio" 1344 Clarke Ave Old SW Roanoke for our monthly support Hangout! Whether you're in active treatment or beyond.

Got Questions Message Heather Saunders: 434-294- 0808 or simply show up. We'd love to have you with us!!

07/16/2026

Just purchased my Lishy’s Gift merchandise! 💜☺️🐢

I’m so proud to serve as a board member for Lishy's Gift and support this wonderful local nonprofit.🫶

Lishy’s Gift was created by my dear friend, Andrea Guillard, and her family in loving memory of their beautiful daughter, Lishy, whose life continues to inspire hope and compassion for young adults facing cancer.🫶

Andrea Guillard has one of the kindest, most giving hearts, and she holds a very special place in mine. As she celebrates her 60th birthday, 🎂🥳 I hope you’ll help us celebrate her by supporting the mission that means so much to her and her family.

There are lots of great options available in the Lishy’s Gift online store, so take a look and purchase something you love. Every order helps support this meaningful organization and the young adults it serves.

The campaign runs now through August 3rd! Please consider making a purchase and sharing the post to help spread the word! 💜

07/03/2026

Excellent resource for our childhood cancer families! 👌💯Help us celebrate The Brain Bodega, LLC and their incredible work and efforts helping students thrive!! 5 years celebrating!! 😍✏️📚📓📝🥳👏👏👏🎉

07/01/2026

We SURPASSED our goal!!!🤩🥹🫶🎗️

As National Cancer Survivors Month comes to a close, we are so grateful to share that our Beyond the Bell BeholdBeGold fundraiser not only reached our $400 goal, but surpassed it, raising $600 to support childhood cancer survivors beyond treatment!💛🎗️

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who donated, shared our fundraiser, encouraged us, and continues to support BeholdBeGold in so many meaningful ways. 🫶🥹Your generosity reminds us that we have a strong and caring community behind us, one that believes survivors deserve to be seen, supported, celebrated, empowered, and connected long after treatment ends.

Every contribution helps us continue our work through survivor milestone celebrations, outreach, peer connection, survivor socials, education, advocacy, and community support.🫶

We are grateful. Thank you for helping us go the and continue showing up for childhood cancer survivors and their families!

With much appreciation,
Juanita Prada
Founder & President
BeholdBeGold

06/30/2026

BeholdBeGold has raised $315 toward our $400 National Cancer Survivors Month fundraiser, which means we are only $85 away!

Help us reach the finish line for childhood cancer survivors!

Donate here:
https://givebutter.com/beyond-the-bell-supporting-childhood-cancer-survivors-ruc8qe

This Carilion Clinic Foundation story is very special to me because Carilion Clinic has been part of my life in so many meaningful ways. It is the hospital where I was treated twice for childhood cancer, the place where I had the honor of volunteering for over 7 years, and later, a place where I experienced a full-circle moment through employment. I am so grateful to Carilion Clinic and the Carilion Clinic Foundation for inviting me to share my story and helping bring awareness to the lifelong impact of childhood cancer treatment!

Although I do not work at Carilion today, Carilion will always be part of my story and my second home. Over time, I realized that the work I felt called to do through BeholdBeGold needed to grow beyond the hospital walls, into the community, and into the moments after treatment when survivors are often expected to simply move on.

BeholdBeGold became the way I could take my own pain, trauma, setbacks, resilience, gratitude, and survivorship journey and turn it into purpose, creating spaces of where survivors and families feel seen, supported, celebrated, and reminded they are not walking this road alone!

That is why this month’s fundraiser, in honor of National Cancer Survivors Month, is called “Beyond the Bell.” Ringing the bell is a beautiful and significant HUGE milestone, but survivors still deserve support, connection, empowerment, and community long after treatment ends.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who has contributed, shared, encouraged, and believed in this fundraiser already! If you feel led to contribute or share, no matter how big or small, every bit helps us reach the finish line and continue showing survivors they are seen, supported, and never alone!

Read my story here:
https://www.carilionfoundation.org/cancer-campaign/patient-story-juanita-prada

With gratitude,
Juanita Prada
Founder & President, BeholdBeGold

Patient Story - Juanita Prada Article by News Team on April 16, 2026 Juanita Prada’s story is one of resilience, survival, and hope. A two-time pediatric cancer survivor and Carilion Clinic patient, she lives with the late effects of childhood cancer. She continues to advocate for a future with sa...

06/23/2026

Help BeholdBeGold reach our $400 National Cancer Survivors Month goal!

Donate here: https://givebutter.com/beyond-the-bell-supporting-childhood-cancer-survivors-ruc8qe

During the final full week of National Cancer Survivors Month, I wanted to share this video from Carilion Clinic .It shares a piece of my story as a two-time childhood cancer survivor and the heart behind why I founded BeholdBeGold.

I survived childhood cancer, but treatment left a lasting impact on my body and my life. I still live with late effects, and many of them are not visible. Ringing the bell was a beautiful moment, but it was not the end of my journey.

That is why BeholdBeGold! We are here to make sure survivors are not forgotten after treatment ends. Through education, advocacy, community connection, outreach, and survivor-centered resources, we help survivors and families feel seen, supported, and less alone. We also continue speaking up for safer, less toxic treatment options for future children!

So far this year, BeholdBeGold has already been able to support 9 survivors, and we are just getting started! Your donation helps us continue showing up for survivors when they need support most!

I am deeply grateful to Carilion Clinic for the wonderful care my family and I received during my two childhood cancer treatments and for the opportunity to share my story! A special thank-you to Macy Ware, Program Director of Children's Miracle Network Southwest Virginia at Carilion Children's for inviting me to share my story with her marketing team and helping make this opportunity possible! I also appreciate the Carilion Clinic Foundation for featuring my story through its cancer campaign and for helping advance the future of cancer care in Southwest Virginia!

I am also proud to serve as an Ambassador for the LifeRing Foundation Fighting Kids Cancer campaign! A special thank-you to Life Ring Foundation Co-Founders Kelly Woolwine, President, and Jessica Woolwine, Vice President! Their passion, knowledge, hard work, and commitment to strengthening pediatric cancer care close to home first helped me understand the importance of proton therapy and what it could mean for future children and families.

Their family’s own pediatric cancer journey has inspired a powerful commitment to helping other children and families receive exceptional care close to home. I am grateful for the awareness they have brought to our community, the Carilion family, and me personally!

The future feels hopeful! The new Carilion Taubman Cancer Center, advances like proton therapy, and the people working behind the scenes all reflect a community coming together for something bigger than ourselves.

BeholdBeGold is proud to be a voice and stand alongside these community partners as we continue raising awareness, supporting survivors, and helping build a brighter future for children, families, and survivors!

Please watch and share this video, and consider making a gift to BeholdBeGold through the donation link above. Your support helps us continue showing up for childhood cancer survivors with education, advocacy, community connection, and survivor-centered resources long after treatment ends!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpxftEMiCJ0

Juanita Prada, a two-time childhood cancer survivor and founder of ...