Sending out a great big THANK YOU to Adirondack Health for their generous sponsorship and support of Hope for Miracles!

Because of community partners like Adirondack Health, we are able to continue our mission of raising much-needed funding for childhood cancer research and providing hope to children and families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. 🎗️💛

"As a key community institution in the heart of the Adirondacks for over a century, Adirondack Health takes tremendous pride in delivering our legacy of healing to the residents and visitors who cherish the unequaled characteristics of our region."

We are incredibly grateful for organizations that are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of our communities. Your support helps fuel critical research efforts and allows Hope for Miracles to continue making a difference in the lives of childhood cancer warriors and their families.

Thank you for all you do for the children and families in our region, and a special thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us in the fight against childhood cancer. 🎗️💛

Want to Support Hope for Miracles?

If you would like to help Hope for Miracles continue its mission of funding childhood cancer research and supporting local families, we'd love to hear from you!

📧 Email: [email protected]

📞 Phone: (518) 572-0695

💬 Or send us a message through our social media channels.

Together, we can bring hope, support, and progress in the fight against childhood cancer.

💛🎗️🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️

#HopeForMiracles #SuperheroMasqueradeGala #SponsorShoutout #AdirondackHealth #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #ChildhoodCancerResearch #FundACure #CommunitySupport #TogetherForTheKids #HopeForACure

A heartfelt THANK YOU to Mountain Valley Federal Credit Union for their generous sponsorship and support of Hope for Miracles!

Because of community partners like Mountain Valley Federal Credit Union, we are able to continue our mission of raising much-needed funding for childhood cancer research and supporting families impacted by childhood cancer. 🎗️💛

"At Mountain Valley Federal Credit Union, our members come first. The credit union exists for the benefit of its members by providing a variety of financial services and products at competitive rates."

We are incredibly grateful for organizations that invest in the health and well-being of children in our communities. Your partnership helps bring hope to families facing one of life's most difficult challenges and supports the ongoing fight to find a cure for childhood cancer.

Thank you for all that you do for our community, and an extra special thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing alongside Hope for Miracles in the fight against childhood cancer. 🎗️

Want to Help Fund a Cure?

If your business, organization, or family would like to support Hope for Miracles and our mission, we'd love to hear from you!

📧 Email: [email protected]

📞 Phone: (518) 572-0695

💬 Or send us a message through our social media channels.

Together, we can make a difference for children and families affected by childhood cancer.

💛🎗️🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️

#HopeForMiracles #SuperheroMasqueradeGala #SponsorShoutout #MountainValleyFederalCreditUnion #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #ChildhoodCancerResearch #FundACure #CommunitySupport #TogetherForTheKids

​Hope for Miracles is excited to announce that there is still time to apply for our second and final grant opportunity available this year through Karson's Warrior Grant.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of an anonymous donor who established Karson's Warrior Grant with funding for a five-year period, we are honored to offer this special grant program to families battling a childhood cancer diagnosis. This marks the second year of the program, and we are grateful that it will continue to support families for three more years.

About Karson's Warrior Grant

Childhood cancer affects every aspect of a family's life—emotionally, physically, and financially. Karson's Warrior Grant was created to help ease some of those burdens and provide support to families as they navigate the challenges of treatment and recovery.

If you know a family currently facing a childhood cancer diagnosis, please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity.

How to Apply

The application can be found in the comments or requested by emailing:

📧 [email protected]

Application Deadline: September 22

We encourage eligible families to apply and take advantage of this opportunity for support.

Help Us Reach Families in Need

Many families are unaware of available resources during their childhood cancer journey. By sharing this post, you can help connect a family with assistance when they need it most.

Thank you for helping us spread hope, support, and encouragement to childhood cancer warriors and their families.

💛🎗️🙏

#ChildhoodCancer #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #KarsonsWarriorGrant #HopeForMiracles #NorthCountry #FamilySupport #ChildhoodCancerFamilies #GrantOpportunity

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, honoring childhood cancer warriors, remembering those we have lost, and supporting families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis.
At Hope for Miracles, we are committed to providing financial assistance, emotional support, and meaningful experiences for children and families navigating the challenges of childhood cancer. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our community.
How You Can Help. One of the easiest ways to support our mission this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is by purchasing a ticket through one of our dedicated volunteers:

• Laurie Lucia Cross
• Tonya Manion Couture
• Martha Breyette
• Jennifer George
• Patty Agnew
• Kevin Agnew

Every ticket purchased helps Hope for Miracles continue providing vital support to local families when they need it most.
Making a Difference Together When you support Hope for Miracles, you are helping us:

• Provide assistance to families facing the financial burdens of childhood cancer
• Fund special experiences that create lasting memories for children and their loved ones
• Offer hope and encouragement during difficult treatment journeys
• Raise awareness about childhood cancer and its impact on families

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue our mission of bringing hope, comfort, and support to childhood cancer families throughout our community.
Thank You for Your SupportWe are incredibly grateful for everyone who supports Hope for Miracles. Your generosity allows us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families facing childhood cancer.
If you would like to purchase a ticket and support our efforts during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, please reach out to Laurie, Tonya, Martha, Jennifer, Patty, or Kevin.
Together, we can bring hope where it is needed most.
💛🎗️🙏
Hope for Miracles — Supporting Childhood Cancer Families, One Miracle at a Time.

At Hope for Miracles, we are honored to support families facing the unimaginable challenges that come with a childhood cancer diagnosis. During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we are especially grateful to the Adirondack Foundation, in partnership with the Bill & Lisa Powers Family Fund, for making it possible to provide two families with a Wraparound Services Grant.

Today, we are proud to introduce our second grant recipient family—the Akin Family.

Desmond's Journey with Pediatric Brain Cancer

On May 1, 2025, the Akin family received the phone call no parent ever wants to hear.

After experiencing dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, Desmond underwent an MRI that revealed a tumor located on his brainstem and extending down his spine. He was diagnosed with a Grade 3 Ependymoma, a rare and serious pediatric brain tumor.

Within hours of receiving the diagnosis, Desmond and his family were at UVM Medical Center in Vermont meeting with a neurosurgeon. Surgery was scheduled for the very next day.

Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Desmond's medical team moved quickly and provided exceptional care. Thanks to the skill and dedication of his neurosurgeon, Dr. Ducis, the entire tumor was successfully removed—an outcome that represented the very best hope for Desmond and his family.

Continuing the Fight

Following surgery, Desmond completed six weeks of proton radiation treatment at Mass General Hospital. As his family awaits his first post-radiation scan, they continue to face the uncertainty and challenges that often accompany a childhood cancer journey.

Through it all, Desmond has demonstrated remarkable strength and courage, supported every step of the way by his loving family and medical team.

Creating Joy Beyond Cancer

When Desmond's family learned they had been selected to receive a Hope for Miracles Wraparound Services Grant, they were deeply grateful.

Their hope is to use the grant to create a fun-filled family experience once Desmond is feeling well enough to enjoy it. These moments of togetherness provide families with an opportunity to focus on joy, connection, and making memories beyond hospital visits and treatments.

At Hope for Miracles, we believe these experiences are an important part of the healing journey and help families find hope during difficult times.

Thank You to Our Generous Partners

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Adirondack Foundation and the Bill & Lisa Powers Family Fund for helping make these grants possible. Their generosity allows us to provide meaningful support to families navigating childhood cancer and its many challenges.

Sending Our Best Wishes

To Desmond and the entire Akin family, we wish you a wonderful family adventure filled with laughter, happiness, and unforgettable memories when the time comes.

Most importantly, we continue to send our thoughts, prayers, and encouragement as Desmond moves forward with his recovery and upcoming follow-up scans.

Your strength, resilience, and hope inspire us all.

💛🎗️🙏

From everyone at Hope for Miracles, thank you for allowing us to share your story. We are honored to stand alongside your family and support you throughout your journey.

​​At Hope for Miracles, we are honored to support families navigating the challenges of childhood cancer. This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we are especially grateful to the Adirondack Foundation, in partnership with the Bill & Lisa Powers Family Fund, for making it possible for us to award two Wraparound Services Grants to deserving recipient families.

Today, we are proud to introduce our first grant recipient family—the Sloan Family.

Damien's Journey

On January 12, 2015, the Sloan family's world changed forever when their son, Damien Jasper James Sloan, was diagnosed with Pilocytic Astrocytoma of the suprasellar region, a form of brain cancer, at just six months old.

In the years that followed, Damien's journey has been marked by extraordinary courage, perseverance, and resilience. Shortly after his diagnosis, he underwent a craniotomy to determine whether the tumor could be removed. Unfortunately, surgery was not an option, and Damien's fight against cancer truly began.

His treatment journey has taken him to some of the nation's leading pediatric hospitals and cancer centers, including:

Three rounds of chemotherapy at UVM Children's Hospital
Experimental treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City
Second-opinion consultations at Boston Children's Hospital
Proton Radiation treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 2021

Today, Damien continues to travel to St. Jude annually for follow-up appointments, always hoping to hear the words every childhood cancer warrior longs for—that the battle has been won.

Alongside his cancer treatments, Damien continues to receive ongoing care through UVM Children's Hospital for hormone therapy needs. Despite facing significant challenges, including vision loss caused by his cancer, Damien has adapted with remarkable determination, learning to read Braille and continuing to move forward with strength and optimism.

A Well-Deserved Family Adventure

When asked how he would like to use his Wraparound Services Grant, Damien had a special wish: to experience The Great Escape's Fright Fest (formerly known as Horror Fest) with his siblings—an adventure he has never had the opportunity to enjoy before.

At Hope for Miracles, we believe that creating joyful family memories is an important part of supporting children and families facing medical challenges. We are thrilled that this grant will help make that experience possible for Damien and his family.

Thank You

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Adirondack Foundation and the Bill & Lisa Powers Family Fund for helping us bring moments of joy, connection, and hope to families like the Sloans.

To Damien and the entire Sloan family: we wish you an unforgettable day filled with fun, laughter, and cherished memories at The Great Escape. More importantly, we continue to send our prayers, encouragement, and support as Damien continues his treatment journey and follow-up care.

Your strength inspires us all.

💛🎗️🙏

From all of us at Hope for Miracles, thank you for allowing us to be a small part of your journey. We are cheering for you every step of the way.