Who We Are
Lighthouse For Hope is a 501(c)3 recognized non-profit that provides support for families that are fighting pediatric cancer. Cancer is an evil that is not only physically and emotionally challenging, but also financially challenging. Our goal is to alleviate some of the financial stress cancer brings while also providing a much-needed community of support. By joining Lighthouse, you are choosing to make a tangible difference in the lives of families who have a child with cancer.
Our Story
To tell you about Lighthouse, I first have to tell you a little bit about myself. The summer after senior year of high school, a year that I spent the majority of the day in bed, my symptoms caught up to me. With searing abdominal pain and a body covered in bruises, my parents took me to the emergency room. They drew my blood and something was “off”. The ER doctor came in and sat down and asked if we were praying people. He then went on to say something about Leukemia and next thing I knew I was being transferred in an ambulance to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In the middle of the night I was diagnosed with Leukemia and admitted to the oncology floor where I started chemo 2 days later and didn’t leave for 36 days.
My world was turned upside down in a matter of hours. I was thrown into this unknown space that I knew nothing about. I had never met anyone that had cancer before. I remember sitting in the ER with my mom. I looked at her and I said, “This doesn’t happen to us.”
My treatment lasted 2 ½ years and consisted of a clinical trial where I received arsenic treatment every day for 12 weeks. After hair loss, mouth sores, drastic weight loss and weight gain, feeling car sick for 3 years, emotional trauma, countless bone marrow biopsies and lumbar punctures - I wouldn’t have it any other way. There were times when it was really ugly. But for however many ugly or scary times there were, there was always hope. There was always light at the end of the tunnel.
Throughout my experience, I had an amazing support system. Friends, family and strangers rallied around us. I quickly realized that this is not always the case. The majority of the families I saw at the hospital did not have that. They didn’t have anyone to bring them meals or to drive them to and from appointments.
I decided I couldn’t just be done. My cancer may be gone, but so many others are still fighting. And I’ve never really been one to just stand around and do nothing. That’s where Lighthouse comes in. I know the emotional, physical and financial challenges these families are facing. Lighthouse works to provide families with items that insurance doesn’t always cover, like gas cards, groceries, cleaning supplies, and other daily items that are needed. Childhood cancer is not rare, in fact, it’s common, and it can happen to any child, any time, in any family. And it’s expensive. We are committed to alleviating financial stress so that families can focus on helping their children heal.
