This year, the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children (ACFC), whose mission is to provide social, emotional, and financial support directly to families managing the health and well-being of a loved one with pediatric cancer, is celebrating 10 years of offering its services to Arizona families.

“As we mark this momentous 10th anniversary of the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve undertaken together,” says Chrisie Abramo, founder and president of ACFC.

Over the past decade, ACFC has provided support to 10,000 individuals throughout Arizona with the dedication to ensuring life can go on after a cancer diagnosis. Chrisie Abramo started the foundation out of her home at her dining room table, using her personal experience of losing her daughter Ava to cancer in 2012 to ensure families receive the support she struggled to find during her families’ journey with pediatric cancer. Through Abramo’s vision, the foundation has grown from offering one program to now providing 10 programs in its new, larger facility, to help fuel its mission.

In addition to the thousands of families ACFC has assisted over the last decade, the community-supported nonprofit has organized 100 events and counting for pediatric cancer warriors and their families. Events include: the annual Ava’s Tree House Gala, the Tom Londen Memorial Golf Tournament, and the Adopt-A-Family holiday program. Support from these events have provided financial assistance to families for medical, rent and travel expenses as well as immediate assistance through K9 therapy and counseling, birthday gifts, art classes, and all other expenses associated with a child’s cancer diagnosis.

The nonprofit also made a milestone move in 2022 to a new, centrally located 12,000-square-foot-building, conveniently located at 7010 East Cochise Road in Scottsdale. This facility has helped ACFC better serve families by offering children the gift of childhood in a safe, clean, comforting environment — a combination of peace of mind and marvel under one roof where kids with cancer can be kids

“It has been a decade of unwavering commitment, compassion, and collective strength,” says Abramo. “To the children and families we serve, your courage inspires us daily. May the next decade lead to many more years of making a meaningful difference in their lives.”

In Arizona, one child a day is diagnosed with cancer. ACFC is currently serving 400 families a year and over the next decade hopes to serve 1,200 families annually. For more information on the nonprofit, volunteer opportunities or to donate, visit https://azcancerfoundation.org/.

About the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children:

Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children provides practical but critical support in a timely manner. Operating from our dedicated facility in Scottsdale, we offer a comprehensive range of support services and programs, including financial assistance, emotional support, and social programs. Our mission is to create a centralized hub of support for pediatric cancer patients and their families, all within one location. By providing integrated services, we aim to alleviate the burdens associated with pediatric cancer and provide support to the entire family. For more information on the nonprofit, volunteer opportunities or to donate, visit https://azcancerfoundation.org/.