The Magnolia Tree Foundation

02/19/2026

10/30/2025

Wearing our Richard’s High School cheerleading Breast Cancer Awareness shirts proudly! 🩷🌸 Jessica Elise

10/06/2025

Big cheers to Richard’s High School cheerleaders for supporting The Magnolia Tree Foundation during their Friday Pink Out last week!! We are so grateful to this team who wore our logo proud! 🌸🩷 A special thanks to Coach Jess for including us in their amazing effort to promote breast cancer awareness! 💕

02/16/2025

Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation

Their mission “is to save the lives of young women from breast cancer by promoting awareness, facilitating the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, funding advanced research, and in-turn, building a future free of breast cancer for young women.”

slide 1 Helping Young Women Now Our mission is to save the lives of young women from breast cancer by promoting awareness, facilitating the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, funding advanced research, and helping build a future free of breast cancer for young women. slide 2 Helping You...

01/24/2025

Awareness saves lives.

"My sister had breast cancer in 2011 and then pancreatic cancer in 2020, at which time she underwent genetic testing. The tests revealed she had a BRCA2 gene mutation. Family in her bloodline were invited to be tested as well.

At that time, I started taking part in a BRCA2 Clinical Study at Penn Medicine for people over 45 years old. I had an MRI and endoscopy every three to four months. In January 2022, it was noted that a cyst in my pancreas had enlarged and was then labeled as a mass/tumor.

Had I not known about my gene mutation, I would not have been in the clinical study. Instead of them finding my cancer at stage I, within a year it would have likely been stage III or IV. Pancreatic cancer has virtually no indications until it reaches later stages.

Eventually I had the Whipple procedure, a type of surgery which removed one-half of my pancreas and my duodenum (my gallbladder was removed four years ago). I then started 12 rounds of chemotherapy to attack any remaining cancer.

In February 2024, scans showed there were precancer cells in the main duct of my remaining pancreas. Along with my wife, son and daughter, we made the decision that I should have a pancreatectomy [surgical removal of the remaining pancreas] in March 2024.

Now, I have to remind myself how fortunate I am to be alive. At times, it is surreal to me that I am missing so many organs, yet here I am! I’m able to eat everything I ate before pancreatic cancer, although the quantities are less. I work out once or twice a week, walk, and play golf every Saturday. I see my oncologist every three months, and I get scans every six months.

My words of advice: once you’re diagnosed, try to make decisions about your treatment ASAP with the guidance of your care team and the ones you love, because pancreatic cancer won’t wait!"

— Ted Niemczyk, pancreatic cancer survivor

11/09/2024

“We are not our diagnosis, but rather the empowered choices we make to protect our lives and educate others about genetic mutations.”

10/15/2024

A huge shout out to the Richards High School cheerleaders who, along with their coaches, Jessica and Ashley, raised $1500 for The Magnolia Tree Foundation. As a breast cancer awareness fundraiser they designed and sold t-shirts for their Bulldog Pinkout! Thank you all so much, we couldn’t be more grateful! 🩷🌸🩷

10/11/2024

Cheers for these cuties! 🩷🌸🩷

08/20/2024

We’re overjoyed to see Alexa’s vision come to fruition. 🌸🌸🌸

Nicole and Alex: Love, Board Games and Bravery

A year into their marriage, when Nicole was diagnosed with (and beat!) breast cancer, Nicole tested positive for the BRCA gene - which means their future children were at risk.

Thanks to the Magnolia Tree Grant, IVF with genetic testing was made possible.

The Magnolia Tree Grant is available if you or your partner carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation and are looking to undergo IVF with preimplantation genetic testing for BRCA, or pursue fertility preservation procedures due to a BRCA mutation.

"For those seeking a grant due to medical fertility preservation, please know our grant through Magnolia Tree is open year-round."

Congratulations Nicole and Alex!

06/12/2024

This photo of Alexa was taken as she started her teaching career at Lake Zurich High School. As a newly graduated English teacher she was very fortunate to obtain a teaching job right out of college. The position was only part-time but she supplemented her time supporting students in the learning center and being a yearbook advisor. We’ll always be grateful to LZHS for the opportunities they provided to Alexa, allowing her passion for teaching to grow and flourish. Nor will we ever forget the special friendships she made along the way.
💙🤍🌸💙🧡🌸💚💛
To honor Alexa’s love for her profession and her students, the Alexa Rodheim Cutler Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually. This year’s recipients were Rachel and Kiersten from HEHS and Ansh and Esmeralda from EGHS. We wish them success and happiness as they pursue fulfilling their educational goals.
Congratulations!

03/13/2024

How much do you know about breast cancer? 🌸🌸🌸

Learn the facts and reduce the risk of breast cancer.