Kaitlin had two little boys at home when her youngest child, Josie, was diagnosed with leukemia. Josie was just a baby, and some days felt impossibly long. Kaitlin remembers wondering how she could keep going before realizing that somehow, she already was.

And she wasn’t alone.

“There is a whole community of moms standing beside me, holding me up when it feels too heavy,” she said.

Childhood cancer changes motherhood forever. It reshapes everyday life, deepens fear and love, and creates a bond between mothers who understand what no one else can.

This Mother’s Day, moms in the childhood cancer community are sharing the advice, encouragement, and hard-earned wisdom that carried them through the most difficult days. 

Their stories are reminders that even in the most overwhelming moments, no mother walks this road alone.

Taylor, childhood cancer survivor and now, mom to a son and a daughter

"I’ve had to tell myself this many times: their childhood isn’t a repeat of mine."

Sandy, mother of an angel

“Supermom does not exist. Don’t make this cancer journey a mystery. It is a family journey.”

Keren, mom to Cole, Maggie and Maeve

“ I carry Cole with me in everything I do, and while the weight of losing him will never leave, neither will the privilege of being his mother. To the moms walking this path, whether in treatment, in fear, in hope, or in grief, please know you are stronger than you realize even on the days you do not feel it. The love you carry for your child does not end when circumstances change. It simply changes form.”

Kaitlin, mom to Josie (in remission from leukemia), Nolan and Noah

“This journey is hard, and the days can feel so long. Not every day is a good day but there is something good in every single one.”

Princecine, mom to Ailani, who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3 years old

“Even on the darkest days, look for and acknowledge the little lights: a smile, a laugh, a quiet moment of peace maybe by just holding your baby in your arms.” 

Trish, mom to Ryan, brain tumor survivor and senior in high school

“It is hard to hold down a crying child for a test. But their love for you will not change.”

Heather, mom to CJ and Gabby

“Be gentle on yourself and others. Grief is not linear and it isn’t the same for everyone so don’t have any expectations about ‘should.’”

Karen Salerno, mom to Tony, three-time cancer survivor

“Prioritize medical stuff first, then find a way to have a laugh and everyday make a memory.” 

Karen’s advice captures something many moms in this community learn, that you cannot control every outcome, but you can hold onto moments of joy, connection, and love in the middle of uncertainty.

This Mother’s Day, we honor the mothers who show up every day in hospital rooms and at school pickups, in moments of fear and moments of celebration, in grief and in hope. Their strength is not about being fearless or perfect. It’s about continuing to love fiercely through it all.

And for every mom just beginning this journey: there is a community beside you, ready to carry you when you need it most.