Rallying for a cure
At Sharecare, we have a long-standing tradition of supporting causes that align with our mission to help people live healthier, happier lives. And for the last several years, we have chosen to “share care” with an incredibly deserving organization whose work is making a difference in young lives each and every day: the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research.
But, first, a startling fact: While cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in children, only 4% of the National Institutes of Health’s cancer research budget goes to pediatric cases. Thankfully, Rally is on a mission to find better treatments for childhood cancer with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures; and the foundation addresses this crucial need by empowering volunteers across the country to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research.
And rally, they have: Since its founding in 2005, the Atlanta-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit has funded over $35 million in research grants, with nearly 30% of those projects advancing to clinical trials. In fact, just this week it was announced that Rally awarded a $350,000 grant to Winship Cancer Institute of Emory in Atlanta, marking the largest single-year donation the nonprofit organization has made to Emory’s pediatric cancer research program.
While these numbers are impressive, we’d like to provide a little more perspective by sharing the story of “Rally Kid,” Dre, who is 14 years old. Since late 2019, Dre has been courageously fighting medulloblastoma, a type of primary brain cancer in children. Despite undergoing numerous treatments, Dre’s condition recently took a difficult turn, and he has been placed in hospice care as his tumors have not responded to the latest treatments. Yet, through it all, Dre’s spirit shines brightly, reminding us why the fight against childhood cancer is so important.
In light of this devastating but all too common prognosis for kids with Dre’s type of cancer, we teamed up with our friends at the Atlanta Hawks, Dre’s favorite NBA franchise, among other partners to curate a truly unforgettable evening for him and his loving mom. From round trip limo service to the game (courtesy of another Rally partner, Asbury Auto) and access to Sharecare’s courtside seats to a load of official Hawks gear, including a signed Trae Young jersey, the evening of Oct. 8 was already shaping up to be something special.
But that night, the Hawks went the extra mile and granted Dre exclusive on-court pregame access, during which he met every player individually, spent time with them, and got their autographs on a basketball. But, for me, the highlight of the night came when Trae Young invited Dre to join him in his signature warmup shot from the bench. The heartwarming moment, captured by the NBA’s social media team, was shared widely, drawing attention to Dre’s story and raising awareness for childhood cancer.
Dre’s journey is a powerful reminder of why we rally: every child battling cancer needs better treatments, and they also deserve moments of joy and the knowledge that they have a mighty village that stands by their side. That’s why, this Friday, Nov. 15, you’ll find members of the Sharecare team and hundreds others at the annual Rally Benefit Bash, which helps to generate nearly 60% of Rally’s funding each year.
While Rally’s annual Benefit Bash fundraiser is sold out this year, you can still support Dre and this remarkable organization with confidence by purchasing a special edition DreStrong t-shirt or giving a separate monetary donation; with a perfect score of 100 from Charity Navigator, Rally is the highest-rated childhood cancer charity funding research worldwide and providing support services to families fighting the childhood cancer beast.
For Dre and all the Rally Kids, will you rally with us?
