Every advancement in pediatric cancer research has the potential to change how children are diagnosed, treated, and cared for. While breakthroughs rarely happen overnight, each discovery builds on the last, creating new possibilities for families facing incredibly difficult decisions.
In Episode 53 of Game Over: c*ncer, hosts Dana Nichols and Val Solomon sit down with Nick and Rachel Mangan, parents of pediatric brain cancer survivor Lantz, owners of Gabriel Therapy Group, and founders of Keep On Walking. Nearly ten years after Lantz’s diagnosis, they reflect on how research has evolved since their son’s treatment, the importance of parent advocacy, and why helping other families navigate childhood cancer has become their life’s work.
Watch Nick and Rachel’s episode here: Quiet Tenacity: A Family’s Journey Through Pediatric Cancer | 53
Research Creates More Than New Treatments
Lantz reflects on how much pediatric cancer care has changed over the past decade. Treatments once considered emerging therapies are now becoming standard practice for certain childhood cancers, showing how quickly research continues to advance.
For families facing a diagnosis today, these advances offer more treatment options, more personalized approaches to care, and opportunities that didn’t exist years ago. When families are asked to make difficult decisions in a short amount of time, having more options can provide both clarity and hope.
Every Discovery Leads to the Next
During the conversation, Rachel shares that identifying Lantz’s BRAF mutation was only one piece of the puzzle. While discovering the mutation helped guide his treatment, continued research was necessary to understand what that finding meant and how it could be used to develop targeted therapies.
This reflects an important reality of pediatric cancer research. Scientific breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. Each discovery raises new questions, leading researchers to better understand childhood cancers and develop more precise treatment approaches. Continued investment in research ensures today’s discoveries become tomorrow’s standards of care.
Advocacy Helps Families Navigate Uncertainty
Nick and Rachel also discuss how advocacy became an essential part of their family’s journey. Learning to ask questions, seek additional opinions, and build a team of trusted healthcare professionals helped them better understand the options available for Lantz’s care.
For many families, advocacy isn’t about having medical expertise. It’s about knowing that it’s okay to ask questions, explore additional resources, and seek guidance when facing complex treatment decisions. Many hospitals offer second-opinion programs, and collaborative care across institutions continues to play an important role in pediatric oncology.
As research creates more options, helping families understand those options becomes equally important.
Turning Experience Into Purpose
One of the most meaningful moments in the episode comes as Nick and Rachel reflect on why they continue sharing their family’s story. Their experience inspired them to help other parents become stronger advocates by encouraging them to ask questions, seek support, and recognize that they don’t have to navigate childhood cancer alone.
Through Gabriel Therapy Group and Keep On Walking, they continue working to ensure that the lessons they learned can help another family facing a diagnosis. Their story serves as a reminder that while every childhood cancer journey is unique, shared experiences can empower others to move forward with greater confidence and hope.
Why This Conversation Matters
Nick and Rachel’s conversation illustrates how research, advocacy, and lived experience work together to improve childhood cancer care. Research creates new possibilities, advocacy helps families access those opportunities, and families who share their experiences help others feel less alone.
As Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation (Ckc) continues to invest in innovative pediatric cancer research, stories like Nick and Rachel’s remind us that every breakthrough has the potential to create more options, not only for today’s patients, but for every child diagnosed in the future.
If you’re inspired by Nick and Rachel’s story and want to support pediatric cancer research, visit cannonballkidscancer.org to learn more, donate, or get involved.
Know a survivor or advocate whose story needs to be shared? Email us at info@cannonballkidscancer.org to nominate a guest!
