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Enhance education for childhood cancer survivors. Earn free CEUs/CNUs at our annual ASK Educator Conference and gain valuable insights from expert perspectives to support children in your school. CONFERENCES Educating Childhood Cancer Patients & Survivors Conference February 23, 2024 | Live Broadcast 9:00am - 4:15pm EST About the Conference Our annual Educator Conference helps schools know how to make life better for students affected by childhood cancer. Administrators, teachers, nurses and counselors are invited to attend and earn free CEU & CNE credits. 2/3 More than two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors experience late effects from treatment. These can include physical, emotional, cognitive, and/or social effects which can impact learning. We give concrete examples from a panel of experts across disciplines so that educators feel better equipped to support cancer survivors and their siblings as they navigate school both during and after cancer treatment. 1 Conference Info Flyer Share this info flyer with your colleagues who may be interested in attending this year's conference with you. The more, the merrier! Download Presentation Topics Overview of Childhood Cancer Learn how frequently childhood cancer occurs and how it differs from adult cancers. Learn the most common types of childhood cancer, treatment protocols, survival rates, and what survivorship looks like. Session Length: 45 Minutes Late Effects of Treatment While survival rates have increased significantly for almost all types of childhood cancer, treatments often cause long-term side effects known as ‘late effects’ of treatment. These late effects can be cognitive, physical, or social-emotional, and all affect a survivor’s academic experience. Learn how educational plans like 504 and IEP can help support these students’ unique needs: Physical Late Effects (30 minutes) Cognitive Late Effects (30 minutes) Social Emotional Late Effects (30 minutes) Educational Plans (30 minutes) Session Length: 2 hours Early Childhood Intervention & The Importance of Play Childhood cancer treatment of young children often disrupts opportunities for socialization and play for both the patient and siblings. The effects of this are seen in the early elementary classroom experience. Learn how to support these early learners, and the important role of play for these children inside and outside of the classroom. Session Length: 45 Mi nutes Young Adult Success Panel A diverse panel of childhood cancer survivors who are now young adults will share their experiences transitioning back to school after treatment, challenges they faced, and what helped them the most. Session Length: 45 Mi nutes Active Treatment Case Studies A strong school-based team plays a critical role in helping childhood cancer patients and survivors succeed socially and academically in the school setting. We will walk through a real-life case study and address the role of school nurse, social worker, counselor, and administrator. This is an opportunity to apply what you’ve learned throughout the day and share your ideas. Session Length: 45 Mi nutes Speaker Panel Speaker Panel Violet Borowicz, MD Pediatric Hematologist/ Oncology Specialist , Carilion Children's Read More > Amanda Thompson, PhD Chief, Pediatric Psychology & Director of Pediatric Programs, INOVA Schar Cancer Institute Read More > Mandy Tribe Educational Consultant, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters Read More > Evelyn Joran-Thiel Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, UVA Health Children's Hospital Read More > Joe Bauer Child Life Specialist, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Read More > "Excellent, well-organized, useful information I will implement at my school. Thank you!" - Conference Attendee In partnership with

Nurturing childhood cancer families in Richmond, Virginia with engaging events! Our educational and social events are offered to ​families with patients, survivors, and siblings enrolled with ASK, and are always free to attend. PROGRAM EVENTS RICHMOND REGION EVENTS Richmond Region The following educational and social events are offered to families with patients, survivors and siblings enrolled with ASK in and around Richmond . ASK program events are always free to attend! Our Upcoming Events: Sign Up ASK Night at the Diamond Date: September 13 Time: 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM Place: Flying Squirrels Stadium 301 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA 23220, USA Get ready for a grand slam of fun! Join us for a picnic and tickets to the Richmond Flying Squirrels game. If you have an ASK shirt, pitch right in and wear it! Our ASK kids will be invited to round the bases for a victory lap on the field and might even get to steal the show with activities between innings! Email Michelle to Sign Up YACS BBQ Picnic Date: September 20 Time: 4 PM - 6 PM Place: Cheswick Park - Shelter #1 Cheswick Park, Forest Avenue, Regency, VA, USA Get ready to grill and chill with your YACS community! Come out to Cheswick Park for a BBQ picnic packed with good food, great company, and a chance to spend time with fellow survivors. It's going to be a "grill-iant" time! Email Michelle at mjohnson@askccf.org to reserve your spot today! Email Michelle to Sign Up YACS Paint Night Date: October 9 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Place: ASK Family Center 5211 W. Broad St Suite 100 Richmond, VA 23230 Time to unleash your inner artist! Join fellow YACS for a night of painting, connection, dinner, and good vibes at the ASK Family Center. Email Michelle today at mjohnson@askccf.org to reserve your spot! Email Michelle to Sign Up Middle School & High School Fall Retreat Date: October 11 - October 12 Time: 10 AM - 10 AM Place: Camp Hanover Camp Hanover, Parsleys Mill Road, Mechanicsville, VA, USA We invite our Middle & High School-age cancer survivors to join us for an overnight of fall-themed fun, games, and friends! Reserve your spot now with Michelle at (804) 402-1153 OR at mjohnson@askccf.org Sign Up Teen Game Day Date: October 18 Time: 12 PM - 2 PM Place: ASK Family Center 5211 W. Broad St Suite 100 Richmond, VA 23230 Join us for an afternoon of games, pizza, and fun at the ASK Family Center! All of our ASK Teens and teen siblings, ages 12-18, are welcome to come hang out, enjoy lunch, and play some awesome games together. Back to Events Overview COVID-19 Policy: ASK social events and programs are now open to families with a child currently in active treatment. To keep our immunocompromised populations as safe as possible, indoor mask requirements will be decided based upon the CDC Covid-19 Community Level for the locality in which the event will take place, and will be disclosed prior to each event. For the full policy, click here.

Emotional and financial support for families of children with cancer in Virginia. Discover community resources and meet the team who will help ease the journey. Financial Assistance Everyday Relief & Resources In Clinic Support Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Bereavement Support FAMILY SUPPORT SUPPORT We understand how isolating a cancer diagnosis can be. We are here with you every step of the way. As we always say, once an ASK family, always an ASK family. New to ASK? Fill out our Enrollment Form to officially join the ASK community! Enrollment Form/Forma de Inscripción Financial Assistance Everyday Relief & Resources In Clinic Support Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Bereavement Support Financial Assistance A childhood cancer diagnosis can be devastating for families, financially as well as emotionally. Expenses during treatment can overwhelm an otherwise financially secure family. ASK is here to help. Qualified families may apply for help paying non-medical (housing, utilities, transportation) bills. We offer financial assistance to families being treated at: Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters UVA Children’s Hospital Carilion Children’s Inova Schar Cancer Institute Children’s National Fredericksburg Apply Now Aplica Aqui We are proud to support families across Virginia in their cancer journey. As a proud partner of Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU for nearly 50 years, we are proud of the following resources and support families can expect while receiving care in the ASK Hematology/Oncology Clinic at CHoR. We hope to expand this support to our other treatment center partners across the state in the future. Everyday Relief & Resources Kim Stroud, MSW Director of Programs Get In Touch Meet Kim ASK's Director of Programs, Kim Stroud, talks with families to see what can make their experience less stressful, often connecting families with financial support and community resources. How She Helps The challenges that come with a childhood cancer diagnosis can look a little different for everyone. Kim provides the level of support that works with your needs, such as: providing gas and grocery gift cards to help ease the financial burden checking in regularly to offer a kind word or listening ear providing a pick-me-up surprise when your child or their siblings feel down connecting you with community partners for everyday needs, such a s a free oil change * Managing your household, bills, and daily responsibilities does not stop after your child’s diagnosis and Kim is there to help alleviate some of that stress for you and your family. We always encourage families to check in with their hospital social worker, too, to see what other organizations may be able to help. *Free oil changes are currently only available for families in active treatment. In Clinic Support Meet Katie ASK Child Life Specialist, Katie Barber (also known as “Miss Katie” to our kids!) is one of the first people you will meet while in clinic. She is here to ease your child’s anxiety as they receive treatment in the ASK Clinic. How She Helps Katie uses medical play to teach kids about what they are going through, like accessing their port. What looks like play is really a clever way to help kids feel less stressed at clinic! This helps them understand what the doctors and nurses are doing to make it less scary. Katie can also help by: providing fun distractions like crafts, games, and playing with toys encouraging your child to do an art project or engage in pretend play to help them express their feelings teaching your child how to find their voice and speak up for what makes them comfortable ASK is proud to fund this child life position at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Katie Barber Child Life Specialist Get In Touch Take the Virtual Tour! Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Rev. Rich Catlett, BCC Chaplain Get In Touch Managing the emotional impacts of a cancer diagnosis is an important part of caring for your child and family. ASK provides funding to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU to support mental health services for patients, siblings and parents. How We Help The psychology team can help families with a wide range of topics, from pill swallowing and needle phobia to parenting tips to managing ADHD. Mental health support services include: Assessments Individual & Family Therapy Coping Skills & Support Parent Training Pain & Symptom Management Meet Rich ASK Chaplain, Rich Catlett, is available wherever your child is along their treatment journey in the Children’s Hospital of Richmond. Chaplains support families with a strong religious faith as well as those who don’t claim any religion. How He Helps Spiritual support can vary widely, including prayer, addressing concerns about death and after life, dealing with a loss of faith, or discussing ways to use spirituality for strength. Whatever your beliefs, Rich listens to your concerns and helps you process what you are going through. ASK is proud to fund this chaplain position at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Bereavement Support Ev en with the best doctors and medicines, the heartbreaking reality is that some children lose their fight to cancer. We feel your heartache and mourn the loss of your child. Our chapla in and su pport team will be with you throughout your grief and moments of remembrance, as much as you need us to be. ASK financial assistance is available to help with funeral services, and connect you with community grief and loss resources that can help your family process your loss. If you need a break from ASK after you've lost your child, that's okay and completely normal. Know that our community is ready and waiting with open arms to welcome you back, when you're ready. Because once an ASK family, always an ASK family. “Kim has been incredible since day one explaining services and offering/providing support to our family. Kim makes us feel so welcomed and supported.”

Meet ASK Kid Kyleigh! At just 9 years old, she's got a big, fun life! Imagine this: she's got a whole crew at home with two brothers, a sister with one more sister on the way. When she's not hanging out with them, you can probably find her dominating the soccer field, zipping around on four-wheelers and dirt bikes, or getting super creative with art projects. With such a vibrant personality and spirit, you would never guess that Kyleigh faced a serious health challenge. Life took an unexpected turn for Kyleigh when her mom, Kelsey, noticed a bump on her left arm during the family's Memorial Day trip to the pool when she was just six. Kyleigh told her mom she thought she had hurt it a few days before on the trampoline, prompting the family to go to urgent care. Urgent care initially suspected a fracture, but a subsequent examination by an orthopedic specialist resulted in the family going to the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, where they uncovered a more serious issue: a Rhabdomyosarcoma tumor. Kyleigh's mom, Kelsey, knew that Kyleigh had several unexplained fevers and everyday bumps and bruises from jumping on her trampoline but never suspected childhood cancer. "After the biopsy and diagnosis, we thought she would need her arm amputated. However, surgeons decided to see how the tumor responded to radiation and chemo.  Sure enough, the tumor began to shrink, but amputation was still recommended long-term," explained Kelsey. After the initial shock of her diagnosis, Kyleigh's family began searching for the best path forward. They knew they had to act quickly and do everything possible to protect her future. "I felt like we needed to do all we could to save her arm, so we got a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic. There, we received more bad news. Kyleigh now had cancer spots in her lungs. We immediately started new chemo and radiation treatments for her lungs. We were devastated," shared Kelsey with a heavy heart as she remembered the day the family received the news. From the early days of Kyleigh's diagnosis, ASK became an integral part of her and her family's journey and was there to lend a helping hand during difficult times. "I had to quit my job to manage Kyleigh's healthcare, so ASK's financial assistance was a lifesaver," remembers Kelsey. “I was pregnant and felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Grocery and gas gift cards were just the beginning, and the bill assistance ASK provided relieved some of the financial stress of childhood cancer.”  - Kelsey, ASK Kid Kyleigh's Mom In addition to providing financial support, ASK stepped in to help ensure Kyleigh stayed on track in school. ASK's Education Support Navigator, Jon Longenecker, played an integral role in developing her homebound classes and the 504 plan so that Kyleigh would have the support she needed to be successful. Jon is one of six Navigators stationed at each of Virginia's five pediatric cancer treatment centers. These dedicated professionals bridge the gap between hospital inpatient stays and patients' schools, helping them stay on grade level and receive the necessary accommodations to succeed. Today, Kyleigh is thriving and loving life as a third grader. Her medical team keeps a close eye on her to make sure the tumor stays stable, and she's back to doing what she loves! She's even a bit of a local celebrity, having served as the 2023 Anthem Lemonade Ambassador and appearing in Anthem commercials!

Meet ASK Kid Cassidy ! With a bubbly personality and a spark of creativity that shines through everything she does, 12-year-old Cassidy lights up every room she enters. She loves making people smile, expressing herself through music, and finding joy in the little things — whether playing her keyboard, laughing with her friends and family, or horseback riding. Cassidy's journey started with what seemed like a small bump on her head — a leftover injury from falling off a horse months earlier. But when her lymph nodes suddenly swelled to the size of golf balls, her family knew something wasn't right. "We took her to urgent care, and they sent us straight to the ER," her mom, Rachel, recalled. At just 11 years old, Cassidy was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. What followed were long months of challenging treatments, setbacks, and moments that tested every ounce of her strength. "Her treatment hasn't been easy," Rachel shared. "But Cassidy has handled everything with remarkable strength." As Cassidy entered the maintenance phase of her treatment, she hoped to return to school—but ongoing health challenges meant virtual learning was the best option. That's when ASK stepped in. Lisa Meares, one of ASK's Education Support Navigators, helped the family navigate homebound instruction and coordinated meetings with school staff to ensure Cassidy had the accommodations she needed to succeed. "Having that support made a huge difference!"  - Rachel, ASK Kid Cassidy's Mom Throughout her journey, music has been a powerful source of comfort. Cassidy started playing the keyboard during treatment and loved participating in music therapy. A massive fan of Benson Boone, she once made a video with nurses in the hospital set to his songs. That video turned into something unforgettable. At a recent concert, Cassidy held a sign that read, "Your music has helped me through cancer."  Not only did Benson Boone spot it — he dedicated a song to her and gave her a hug. Cassidy called it "almost making it all worth it." Determined to keep life joyful despite setbacks, Cassidy's family is dedicated to making memories wherever and whenever they can—whether it be concerts, family vacations, or spontaneous adventures. "Of course, some plans were interrupted by hospital visits, but we moved forward," Rachel explained. Cassidy has also turned her experience into purpose. She and her family are working on a line of adaptive clothing designed for kids and young adults with ostomies—helping fill a much-needed gap. This past August, Cassidy modeled some designs at the UOAA Convention in Florida . Though cancer has changed Cassidy and her family's lives, they've found strength, hope, and resilience in unexpected places. Her journey is one of courage, creativity, and heart. With her family, music, and ASK by her side, she's facing the future—one brave step at a time.

For Meg Garner, her connection to the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation began nearly 30 years ago, and her dedication to our families has only deepened over time. As a college intern at the Medical College of Virginia (now Virginia Commonwealth University), Meg experienced firsthand how ASK supports pediatric cancer patients and their families. That internship evolved into her first job out of college as ASK’s Child Life Specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU—a vital position that remains today—providing emotional support, education, and comfort to children with cancer and their families. During her time as our Child Life Specialist, she walked alongside families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. During these early years, she found her calling: being on the "people side" of care. "I learned a lot working with ASK early on in my career," Meg reflects. " I knew I wanted to be on the people side of things". Fast-forward to the present day: Meg is now the Board President of ASK. Since those early days, her career has been nothing short of extraordinary—she has served in leadership roles at the American Cancer Society and currently as Chief Operating Officer at VPM Media Corporation—but ASK has always remained close to her heart. Over the years, she's been a donor, a volunteer, a consultant, and now, a trusted board member. We are so excited to have Meg serve as our fierce leader as we enter this new chapter as an organization. Her leadership is grounded in empathy and strategy, shaped by decades of nonprofit experience and a lifelong commitment to children's well-being When asked about her goals, Meg shares, “ASK directly impacts the lives of kids and families with cancer every day. My goal is to amplify our reach statewide and build lasting connections in each region with pediatric oncology centers”. Over 550 children are diagnosed with cancer each year across Virginia. ASK is a crucial lifeline for many of these families. We help provide each family with wrap-around support—financial assistance, educational support, and a sense of community when they need it the most—and walk alongside them as they navigate an incredibly difficult journey. Since her very first day as our Child Life Specialist, Meg has never lost sight of the children and their families behind each number. She has witnessed firsthand how something as simple as a gas card or utility bill payment can help a family immensely, or how a fun family event can make a child feel like a kid again and grant families the gift of normalcy and understanding. Whether it's her family, coworkers, or the families served by ASK, Meg is known for her grounded leadership and warm presence. She is a fierce advocate for children and a thoughtful strategist. As our new Board President, Meg’s main focus is on ensuring that ASK continues to grow while staying rooted in its Richmond beginnings. "It's my way of giving back,"  she says, "to an organization that's been near and dear to my heart for such a long time" . We're so grateful for her compassionate leadership and unwavering commitment. Thank you, Meg, for being a decades-long champion for kids with cancer and reminding us all what it means to lead with assistance, support, and kindness.