I am excited to be participating in the 2026 Heel to Heal on Sunday, September 20, 2026 at Johnson Park, Piscataway, NJ, benefiting Embrace Kids Foundation. Embrace Kids supports children with cancer, blood disorders and other serious health challenges.

This cause holds a very special place in my heart because I know firsthand how deeply a cancer diagnosis can change a child’s life and an entire family’s world. In 2012, during my senior year of high school, what began as unexplained fevers, night sweats, and exhaustion eventually led to a diagnosis of Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I went from looking forward to graduation and starting college to facing chemotherapy, losing my hair, and a journey I never could have imagined. Through the fear and uncertainty, I held onto hope and never stopped smiling. But I also learned that no one should have to face cancer alone. Embrace Kids Foundation was there for my family and me throughout that journey, providing the emotional and financial support we needed during treatment and continuing to be there for us even after. Their kindness and support made an incredibly difficult time a little easier and reminded us that we were never alone. Today, I have the privilege of giving back to the organization that gave so much to my family, and I hope that together we can help provide another child and family with the same hope, comfort, and support that meant so much to us.

Embrace Kids Foundation was founded in 1991 and is located in New Brunswick, NJ. The Foundation assists families whose children have cancer, sickle cell and other blood disorders in the NJ/NYC metropolitan area. All programs and services are free to families and include emergency financial assistance, individualized tutoring, counseling, and inspirational events and holiday parties.