Reyanna Putnam has faced cancer and beaten it … twice. Next, she wants to help other kids by becoming a pediatric oncologist. And the college junior is well on her way to achieving that. The Akron native and Firestone Community Learning Center graduate is the first recipient of the 33 JordynStrong Survivor Scholarship. The Canton-based […]
National Cancer Survivor Month: E.J.’s story
Miami University student E.J. Coulas has been in remission for 12 years after battling an aggressive type of leukemia. The disease struck before he was old enough to understand it. He was in treatment for more than 3 years, yet he says his memories are mostly positive. “When I was a kid, I didn’t think […]
Down syndrome, leukemia can’t stop Olivia DePiore from becoming a sought-after model
She is a petite 5 ft. tall, not common in an industry that celebrates statuesque young women. She is based in Twinsburg, Ohio, rather than New York or L.A. And she is a childhood cancer survivor with Down syndrome. But none of this has not stopped Olivia DePiore from becoming a sought-after model who has […]
Our top “In the Moment” posts from February 2020
There were some touching stories of children overcoming their health challenges sprinkled amongst our top February “In the Moment” posts. We invite you to take a glance at those you may have missed, or a second peek at those you’ve already enjoyed. 1. We provided this chart to help parents figure out if it is […]
Cancer and blood disorder patients enjoy night out with Santa
As a picturesque snowfall gently fell outside, many of the Mahoning Valley’s bravest children and their families celebrated the holidays inside. It was an evening to just be a child. To temporarily let go of the painful and stressful times … and instead just have some fun. Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley’s annual Hematology-Oncology holiday […]
“Dr. Talai” delights our son Colton again and again
When our son Colton was diagnosed with a rare bleeding disorder at birth in 2002, our family entered a world we were unsure of. No one in either of our families dealt with a chronic illness. Our first year was rough. We had no idea how to protect our son from internal bleeding. We depended […]
