Kids of Childhood Cancer Org Board of Directors
Sarah DiGerolamo - Founder / President
Sarah is the mother of Desiree, age 11, and Vinny, age 7. Although Sarah used to work in the Building Industry and Restaurant Industry, she has not been able to work since the children were born with complicated issues. Desiree was born 2 months premature when Sarah had severe pre-eclampsia. Vinny was born 3 years later with a cleft lip, cleft palate, and Pulmonary Stenosis. When he was 4 yrs old, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in the brain sinus cavity for the first time. When he was 6 yrs old, Vinny was diagnosed with relapsed Rhabdo in the lung. During his 3 ½ year battle, Sarah’s dream came true: to help all of the other families on the ward battling right beside her. “Kids of Childhood Cancer” was formed so no one would go through this alone.
Charlie DiGerolamo - Co-Founder / Treasurer
After 21 years as a Police Officer in Bullhead City, AZ, Charlie retired to Kernersville, NC and opened a restaurant with his wife, Sarah. Two years later, his world was upturned when his little boy, Vinny, age 4 was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer: Rhabdomyosarcoma. Making a decision to spend more time with the family during Vinny’s Brain Radiation in 2008, and needing better insurance, Charlie walked away from the restaurant and now works at Wake Forest University. Every day is a new challenge but gives new hope for Vinny. Charlie and Sarah founded “Kids of Childhood Cancer” foundation in 2009 to help families financially and emotionally while enduring the battle of their lives.
Lynn Kanode - Vice President
Lynn joined the foundation in November, 2009. She and her husband, Bobby have been blessed with 2 healthy children, Alex, 17 and Bailey, 13. When the kids were younger, they both had seizures and spent some time at Brenner Children’s Hospital. It was then that she developed a passion for helping these children and their families. Her "weel" job (according to Vinny) is as a business analyst with Sabre Holdings, but helping the kids is her passion. She has also been a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish foundation for 13 years, where she has developed relationships with the families that will last a lfetime.
Shea Bowen - Member
Shea joined the foundation in October 2009. She is married and has 2 dogs. Shea has worked at Brenner Children's Hospital with the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology department for many years. She knows how much this foundation helps the families, not only financially, but emotionally as well!
Amber Scavo- Member
I have a great husband and am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to two wonderful kids - one who battled Wilms’ Tumor kidney cancer. Julia was diagnosed at the age of 2 and we were thrown into a world we never dreamed we’d know. In a matter of two hours we went from a routine visit at the pediatrician’s office to inpatient on the 9th floor of Brenner Children’s Hospital, told our baby girl had cancer. ‘Camp Brenner’, as we call it, soon became our second home. It is a tough place to be and the pain, suffering, and loss threatens to drown you at times, but it is also a place full of life, love, and HOPE. From our very first stay we knew God put us here to make a difference and we have found hundreds of ways to give back to those around us. We have been faithfully following that call to do whatever we can to improve the lives of those still in the battle for their lives. Kids can’t fight cancer alone. Please join us to improve the lives of the hundreds of kids who call Camp Brenner home and to honor all those who have lost their lives to this beast.
Danielle Cureton - Member
My son, Khalid, was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma on March 2008 and it hurt everywhere and in everything. We are a family of ten. Between my and my husband's missed days at work, after exhausting our vacation time, the financial burden on our large family was overwhelming. When you add this to our concern for Khalid's well being the situation was almost unbearable. With the help of foundations like Kid's of Childhood Cancer we were able to satisfy some of our financial issues and put the focus back where it belonged... on Khalid. I am a part of this foundation because I want to help others. I want them to know that I've been there and that I understand and that it is ok to say yes to help.
Honorary Members
Preston & Lorie Bowden
Claire Feulner
Renee Harger
Tina Lovings
Michelle Manuel
Sean McKillop
Jerry & Sid Shadley
David Yuenger