The pediatric cancer community is full of people with big ideas, powerful stories, and a shared desire to make a difference. Now, there is a new place for those people to come together.
In this special episode of Game Over: c*ncer, Dana Nichols and Val Solomon introduce LINK, a new conference created to bring together the pediatric cancer nonprofit community. LINK, which stands for Legacy, Impact, Networking, Knowledge, is designed to create a space where founders, volunteers, board members, executive directors, survivors, legacy families, and others can connect, learn, and share the experiences that can help strengthen the work being done for children and families.
Watch the conversation about the LINK conference here: The LINK Conference is officially happening | 55
Passion Can Lead You Somewhere New
Many people find themselves drawn into pediatric cancer advocacy because of a personal experience. A child’s diagnosis, a loss, or a family’s journey can inspire someone to want to do more for the next child or family. For some, that passion leads to starting a nonprofit. For others, it may lead to fundraising, advocacy, volunteering, or supporting an organization that is already doing the work. There is no single right way to respond to a personal experience with childhood cancer, but having the opportunity to learn about the different paths available can help people find the one that makes the most sense for them.
Good Intentions Need the Right Tools
Starting with a meaningful mission does not mean someone automatically knows how to run a nonprofit. Dana and Val discuss the gap that can exist between having the passion to create change and understanding the practical work required to sustain it. Fundraising, leadership, events, finances, and organizational structure can all become challenges for people who entered the nonprofit world because of a personal experience rather than a background in nonprofit management. Sharing that knowledge can help people avoid common mistakes and build stronger foundations for the work they want to do.
The Pediatric Cancer Community Has a Lot to Learn From One Another
One of the most valuable resources in the pediatric cancer community is the experience people have gained along the way. Organizations may face similar challenges but approach them in completely different ways. Founders may have lessons they wish they had known at the beginning. Volunteers and board members may have perspectives that can help organizations grow. By creating opportunities for people to share those experiences, the community can learn collectively instead of asking every new organization to figure everything out from the beginning.
Legacy Can Become a Starting Point for Impact
For many families, the desire to continue a child’s legacy becomes a powerful source of motivation. That legacy can take many forms, whether it is through a nonprofit, a fundraising event, advocacy, or simply supporting work that aligns with what mattered to their child. But carrying a legacy forward also means thinking about how that work can continue over time. The conversation around LINK highlights the importance of helping people consider not only what they want to build, but how they can create something that will continue serving its purpose in the future.
Connection Creates More Possibilities
At the heart of the conversation is the idea that people do not have to do this work alone. Connecting with others can provide practical knowledge, new perspectives, and reassurance that the challenges someone is facing are not unique to them. It can also lead to collaboration and partnerships that might not have happened otherwise. LINK was created to make those connections possible and to bring together people who may approach pediatric cancer from different perspectives but share the same desire to create change.
Why This Conversation Matters
The work of improving the pediatric cancer community does not belong to one organization or one group of people. It is built by families, researchers, advocates, nonprofits, volunteers, and supporters who each contribute in different ways. The more opportunities there are for those people to learn from one another and share what they have learned, the stronger the entire community becomes.
LINK represents that idea. Legacy, Impact, Networking, Knowledge are not just the four ideas behind a conference. They reflect the ways people can come together to turn personal experiences into meaningful action, build on the work that has already been done, and create a stronger path forward for the children and families who need it most.
If you’re interested in learning more about LINK and joining this conversation, listen to the latest episode of Game Over: c*ncer and visit cannonballkidscancer.org/link to learn more.
Know a survivor, researcher, advocate, or family whose story needs to be shared? Email us at info@cannonballkidscancer.org to nominate a guest!
