Every childhood cancer hero faces unique challenges on the path to finding their cure. That’s why having a dedicated and compassionate medical team can make all the difference. 

For childhood cancer heroes Lauren and Maisie, their experiences in the hospital didn’t just give them a future – it determined how they wanted to spend it. After spending some of their most formative years in treatment, here are two heroes who are using their careers to pay forward the compassionate care they received as kids.

Lauren O’Malley

Ever since she was a kid, Lauren has been an old soul, but a life of battling cancer has given her a sense of strength and maturity far beyond her years. When Lauren was 7 years old, she failed a vision test at school. Glasses seemed like a simple fix, but a low-grade glioma was pressing on her optic nerve. Unfortunately, there was no simple fix for an inoperable brain tumor.

It took two brain surgeries, several rounds of chemotherapy, and a clinical trial with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation-funded oncologist, Dr. Angela Waanders, before Lauren’s tumor was stable. But it didn’t last forever. Seven years after finding that first tumor, doctors discovered several different mutations in her growing tumor. A new drug, paired with chemotherapy helped for a while, but the tumor started growing again in 2022. Lauren began another new cell inhibitor drug, and finally, her tumor began shrinking again.

Throughout a lifelong battle with cancer, Lauren continued to fight for her future. She accepted an offer to West Chester University where she is currently pursuing a degree in nursing. When Lauren graduates this spring, she plans on turning lemons into lemonade by offering her unique perspective in a clinical setting to give the sincerest personal support to her patients. 

Maisie Webb

When Maisie was 2 years old, she started having trouble walking. A trip to the emergency room revealed that Maisie had a brain tumor called supratentorial anaplastic ependymoma that was impeding her ability to walk. It was Maisie’s big heart and determination that guided her next steps into treatment.

She began her treatment with several rounds of chemotherapy, followed by multiple surgeries to remove the tumor and proton radiation. On Maisie’s 4th birthday, she received the best gift ever – her treatment was over. Maisie has been cancer-free ever since, but she’s not completely done with cancer. She’s ready to help others battle it too.

Today, Maisie is all grown up. She graduated from the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program at her high school, passing her test with flying colors to earn her CNA license. Her current job allows her to provide care to medically complex children, but Maisie has big plans for her future in the medical field. She recently got her driver's license, moved into a college apartment and finished her first sememester of nursing school! As she sticks to her studies, Maisie remains inspired by her personal experiences to keep caring for others.

During life’s toughest battles, a helping hand can make all the difference – whether that help comes from a family member, a friend, a doctor or a nurse. The care we receive as kids has a way of shaping the people we grow up to be. To all the nurses who inspire their patients every day to keep fighting, thank you!