I often share glimpses into my personal life when I have the opportunity to write for Kinetic’s Power of Philanthropy blog, since our family’s story has been so touched by philanthropy.

My son’s fight with cancer took a devastating turn last fall.

In a previous blog, I shared he had been No Evidence of Disease (NED) for nine years and off treatment for four years when his cancer, Neuroblastoma, returned the summer of 2024 at age 16. We celebrated July 1, 2025 when we confirmed the treatments once again worked, and he was NED.

However, the celebrations turned to sorrow just a few months later when some scary symptoms led to learning his disease had now invaded the leptomeningeal area – the tissue that surrounds the brain and spine.

Despite it all, the one thing we have held onto and continue to hold onto is hope.

Hope can be found in many places – in the stories of others who are thriving after similar setbacks, in the hum of the Ronald McDonald House playroom where volunteers bring joy through meals and play, in the hospital hallways where countless donors are recognized for believing in hospitals’ missions.

It’s also seen in the faces of audience members or museum visitors whose lives are enriched by the arts, in classrooms where students are given opportunities to succeed and in the hearts of children and families whose bodies are warmed and tummies are filled by the kindness of strangers.

Ultimately, what the power of philanthropy delivers is hope to those who are personally impacted by a mission’s donors, fundraising professionals and volunteers who, together, work to support nonprofits every single day.

No matter how big or small the gift, and whether it is a gift of time, talent or treasure, the hope philanthropy brings is priceless and greatly appreciated by our family and countless others.