At 5-years-old Elena Desserich was the victim of a rare and hard to treat form of brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). The once bright and cheerful girl within months lost her voice and soon after experienced partial paralysis. Elena found solace in art and reading while she battled her disease for nine grueling months. Sadly, Elena’s fight ended in August 2007, but not before she could create a piece of artwork that has been termed “iconic” by other artists and featured on the wall of her local art museum.

Inspired by Elena’s courage, her parent’s Brooke and Keith Desserich founded The Cure Starts Now in 2007 to fund research for the Homerun Cure™ in hopes that one day no other child will have to suffer the same fate. Over the past 13 years, Elena’s legacy has united a community of families that, through their grief and passion for the cause, have brought global awareness to the tragedy that is DIPG and raised over $15 million in vital cancer research funding. Today, Elena’s iconic painting serves as the foundation’s logo and a reminder to continue fighting.

1 in 330 children in the U.S. will develop cancer by age 20.

On the average, 15,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Cancer is the #1 killer of children by disease in the United States, yet it remains one of the most underfunded diseases in the world.

The Cure Starts Now focuses on the Homerun Cure™ to all cancers by concentrating our research funding efforts on the deadliest forms of cancer. With over $15 million in pediatric brain cancer research funding to date, you can rest assured that 100% of your donation, after credit card processing, will go directly to innovative research. Please join us in funding crucial research to save our youngest of warriors.