Meet Our Champions

Just one day after his fifth birthday, Ryan became very sick and was taken to the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Emergency Center. That’s when his parents heard the word no parent ever wants to hear: cancer. Ryan was diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia, with a rare genetic mutation seen in only 1% of cases nationwide. Ryan spent nearly seven months inpatient, quickly earning the nickname “ToughGuyRy.” Child Life specialists helped explain procedures, taught him how to swallow pills, and brought joy through pet therapy visits. He also enrolled in a philanthropy-funded clinical research trial, achieving remission. Ryan has endured eight cycles of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and complications, including graft vs. host disease in his lungs. Yet his love of superheroes, swimming, baseball, and video games keeps him strong. Now nine, Ryan has returned to school and looks forward to soon being declared a pediatric cancer survivor