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Nurturing childhood cancer families in Fredericksburg, 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 FREDERICKSBURG REGION EVENTS Fredericksburg Region The following educational and social events are offered to families with patients, survivors and siblings enrolled with ASK in and around Fredericksburg . ASK program events are always free to attend! Our Upcoming Events: 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.

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 Scavenger Hunt Date: January 23 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Place: ASK Family Center 5211 W Broad St # 100, Richmond, VA 23230, USA Parent Night Out! Calling ASK Kids and Siblings to join us for a Scavenger Hunt at the ASK Family Center. There will be food and goodies to search for! Sign Up Preschool Playdate Date: February 7 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Place: Romp N Roll 11541 Busy St, Richmond, VA 23236, USA Join us for an exciting afternoon of play at Romp n' Roll! All preschool-aged (2-4 years old) ASK kids and their siblings are invited. 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.

ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation is a Virginia-based nonprofit dedicated to making life better for children with cancer and their families through financial assistance, educational support, and opportunities for community and connection. We're here to make life a little better. Your generosity means kids like Talitha don't have to face cancer or serious blood disorders alone better. Give Today Talitha, 4 B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia How we help our families: Community & Connection Fighting cancer can be an isolating experience. We helped our kids and families build meaningful connections throughout 2023 with more than 100 program events. Educational Support On average, kids miss 43 days of school during their first year of treatment. In 2023, we helped more than 500 patients return to school with the support they need to be successful. Financial Assistance Half of all families with a child in treatment will experience severe financial hardship. In 2023, we helped families stay afloat with more than $250,000 to cover everyday expenses. Get Support Lending a Helping Hand for over 50 years! Since 1975, ASK has been dedicated to providing A-assistance, S-support, and K-kindness to children with cancer and their families during treatment and beyond. From the earliest days of lending a helping hand to families facing pediatric cancer in Richmond, Virginia, ASK has grown to provide support and assistance to children with cancer across the state. This support is delivered through our three areas of focus: educational support, family support, and community and connection, and your support remains the secret sauce to our mission's success. You've helped us fund essential support positions, provide vital financial assistance, and create a network of support that extends far beyond medical care for hundreds of ASK families! However, the work is far from over! Together, we will continue to provide support to our communities and help ensure no child or family faces cancer alone. See Our Impact 6-7 children are diagnosed with cancer every week in Virginia. Let’s give them a hand and help make life better any way we can. How to Get Involved > What's new? Meet ASK Kid Talitha Dec 8, 2025 Meet ASK Kid Conor Nov 12, 2025 Meet ASK Kid Aniyah Oct 28, 2025 See More Posts Stay Connected with ASK Sign up for updates on all things ASK! You'll hear from us regularly with opportunities for you to give , volunteer , or advocate for children with cancer. You'll also receive monthly stories to meet the inspiring children and families your generosity is helping to support. Sign Up for Updates Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Linkedin TikTok Twitter

According to her mom, Leanne, four-year-old Talitha “just loves life.” She can be quiet around strangers, but she’s simply taking it all in, noticing the world around her. Talitha has a contagious laugh and a love for singing, whether she’s making up songs on the spot, singing worship songs from church, or joining in with her favorite princess movies. She’s full of sunshine wherever she goes. With a summer birthday, it’s no surprise that Talitha is happiest outside. She enjoys visiting splash parks, swimming pools, and spending afternoons at the playground with her little sister. But Talitha hasn’t always had carefree days filled with sunshine and songs. In April 2024, her energy was suddenly drained, her tiny body bruised, and a rash appeared. Her parents knew something was wrong, especially when Talitha was too tired to walk by the time they reached the ER. Doctors immediately admitted her to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU where tests came back, and the numbers were “off the charts.” Within a day of arriving at CHoR, Talitha underwent surgery to place a port, a small device that helps deliver chemotherapy. Soon after, at just two years old, she was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Although her numbers placed her in the high-risk category, Talitha’s body responded quickly to treatment. She wasn’t in remission yet, but the doctors had a plan: two and a half years of treatment, set to finish in August 2026. The first eight months were grueling—ten inpatient stays, constant chemo, lumbar punctures, and isolation from the outside world. Things she loved, like playgrounds, libraries, and church, were suddenly off-limits. Instead, hospital rooms filled with Disney movies became her little kingdom. Though they were isolated, Talitha’s family was never alone. Between their church family, grandparents, friends, and the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, they were wrapped in support. Through ASK staff and events, they found community, joy, and relief in ways they never expected, including a sense of normalcy. “Programs allowed Talitha to experience fun life events in safe ways especially during that first year when treatment was so intense. Being able to participate in the pool party, the Christmas party, the fall festival, and even receiving gifts for Christmas so we didn't have to worry about that while she was undergoing really tough treatments helped keep a sense of normalcy and community when things were kind of tough,” shared Leanne. At Christmas, when Talitha’s counts were low and shopping felt impossible, ASK’s Adopt-a-Family program stepped in—lifting a weight Leanne didn’t even realize she was carrying. Financially, the family has managed, thanks in part to ASK’s support with household needs and repairs. But more than the financial help, it’s the emotional and spiritual encouragement that has carried them through. As Leanne says, "There could be a sense of hopelessness, but ASK helps us feel understood and supported. People say, 'I can't imagine how you are doing this,' and without our faith we wouldn't be able to. It's a long road, but we are not walking it alone." Through it all, Talitha remains full of curiosity and sunshine. She enjoys playing “Clinic” with her little sister, pretending to be doctors and nurses and making the hospital world feel less scary. She is in maintenance treatment, a lower-intensity phase, taking daily oral medication and monthly chemo. Life isn’t back to normal yet, but it’s closer. Talitha can finally play with other children, continue to spread cheer through song, go on outings, and live the little moments most families take for granted.  “The road ahead will have challenges—more treatments, more appointments, more days of fatigue,” explains Leanne. “But we are so grateful that it will also have joy and laughter, and all of our friends at ASK. We cannot say thank you enough!”

At just four years old, Conor's imagination knows no bounds, and, like many children his age, he loves superheroes — Spider-Man (Spidey) being his favorite — and villains! He’s a big fan of playing video games with his dad and being outside where he can run and play. Conor approaches every day with a sense of wonder and adventure, and he’s never met a human or animal that he hasn’t tried to befriend. When Conor was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (a rare subtype of AML) in February 2025 at just three years old, his parents, Sarah and Scott, felt their world collapse. He had battled RSV and lingering illnesses, then bruising led to bloodwork that revealed shocking results. Within hours, the family was sent to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, and Conor began treatment just two days later. From the very beginning, ASK showed up in ways Sarah and Scott never imagined. Katie Barber, ASK’s Child Life Specialist at the ASK Clinic within the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, was the first to meet Conor and his family. When he was scared, she pulled out a Nintendo Switch and made him laugh. ASK Chaplain Rich Catlett stopped by during inpatient stays, offering much-needed encouragement. When his port was difficult to access, ASK staff found ways to distract him so his bravery could shine. But ASK went far beyond the hospital walls. They helped cover bills when Sarah had to step away from work, provided food and gas cards, and even answered Scott’s wish to give Conor a safe space outdoors. ASK connected the family with Hope RVA, which landscaped the backyard and built Conor his very own playset. Today, the first thing Conor does every morning is run outside to play. “ They’ve wrapped us in their arms. Whatever you might need, ASK is there to figure out how to get it. They’re so proactive, and you don’t have to search for help. They show up and remind you you’re not alone. ” -Sarah, ASK Kid Conor's mom After nine long months of treatment and countless trips to the ASK Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Conor completed his last treatment on Friday, October 24th, and will ring the end-of-treatment bell with all of his family, friends, nursing staff, doctors, and ASK staff there to celebrate this monumental moment. By the end of this fall, Conor will hopefully join our ASK First STEP (Socialization Through Enriched Play) Preschool Program at First Baptist Church, just for ASK kids and siblings. The ASK First STEP Preschool Program is a specialized class where our teachers look for both typical developmental milestones and late effects from treatment to help our kiddos get the best start possible and feel prepared for a successful kindergarten experience, with skills like sharing, listening, focusing, and cooperating. Conor’s world has changed, but it is still full of joy. He still loves Mario, villains from The Nightmare Before Christmas , and playing Spidey with his boundless imagination. He can’t yet return to playgrounds or museums, but thanks to ASK, he has a backyard kingdom to explore. His parents are in awe not only of their community but also of ASK’s early, steady presence: “Until you need their services, you can’t imagine the depth of what they do. They walk this journey with you in ways you don’t expect.” For now, Conor keeps playing, keeps laughing, and keeps proving what his parents already know: kids are resilient, joy is stronger than fear, and no family has to fight alone when ASK is by their side.

Meet three-year-old Aniyah, the butterfly of her family—shy in crowds but bossy and outgoing at home with Nana and big brother, Noah (age 6). She was like any other kid until foot and leg pain, along with fevers, led to a diagnosis: B-cell leukemia. When Ashley, Aniyah’s mom, heard the word “cancer,” she says she just blanked out—“What? Cancer? Can my baby live a normal life?” Every day, Ashley saw the effects of childhood cancer on families because she worked in the clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. For Jorje, Aniyah’s dad, the first reaction was disbelief. He stayed strong in front of his family, but later, in the quiet of the hospital room, the weight of it hit him as he watched his little girl hooked to IVs. From that frightening beginning, one thing became crystal clear: this family did not have to walk alone. Right away, they met ASK’s Child Life Specialist, Katie Barber, at the clinic in the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Child Life Specialists help children understand and cope with their experiences by using medical play and fun distractions to teach kids about what they are going through. “She asked, ‘What do you need? What can I get you?’ and hugged us,” Ashley remembers. Those questions—and ASK’s constant, quiet answering of it—changed everything. ASK didn’t just come with donations and paperwork; we treated the whole family. ASK provided assistance and practical help like food vouchers for the VCU cafeteria on long clinic days, gas cards for endless trips, and gift cards when money was tight. We stepped in and helped fix small daily problems so that Aniyah’s family could focus on her treatment. ASK was there every step of the way to offer prayers, steady encouragement, and the simple human connection of someone who truly cares. “They don’t make me feel like my child has cancer,” Ashley says. “They make me feel like we still have a life. The staff of ASK even answer the phone like family.” -Ashley, ASK Kid Aniyah's mom Today, Aniyah is small but mighty. Her treatment plan is hopeful and careful as she continues with various stages of treatment. She’s back to playing with her brother Noah, bossing her family around, singing, and talking louder than anyone else in the room. Because of treatments, Aniyah and her family are looking forward to the ASK Holiday Party this year, and soon, Aniyah will be old enough for the ASK First STEP preschool program at First Baptist Church, a preschool just for ASK kids and their siblings. Her parents stand firm: “At the end of the day, you can overcome. We can fight it and beat it. And we know it’s ASK’s fight too.” This brave belief isn't just words; it has a special, strong symbol right in their home. Aniyah's family has a trash can with one very important job: to hold “Leukemie’s Butt” until they can finally throw it out! Even though they may not all be there at once, in their hearts, they know that Katie, Rich, ASK staff, her brother, and her mom and dad are all standing together. They are shoulder to shoulder—united and strong—making sure fear will not win.