Julestrong Project

At nine years old, my life changed overnight. I was diagnosed with Stage IIIA Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after scans revealed cancer throughout my neck, chest, and abdomen. Suddenly, everything I knew as a child, dance, school, and time with friends, was put on hold. My world became hospital rooms, treatments, and uncertainty. My prognosis was reduced to a percentage, something no child should have to think about.

For five months, I rarely left the house except for chemotherapy. I spent hours in a hospital bed, holding my parents’ hands and clutching my stuffed dog as treatment ran through my body. I lost my hair, struggled with constant nausea, and followed strict medical restrictions that impacted every part of my daily life. It was physically and emotionally overwhelming.

But even in the hardest moments, I was never alone. A family friend stepped in to homeschool me so I could keep learning. My community surrounded me with support, visiting, sending gifts, and constantly reminding me that I was loved. That encouragement became my strength.

After four surgeries and eight rounds of chemotherapy, I was declared in remission.

Although I was cancer-free, I wasn’t the same person I had been before my diagnosis. The experience changed my perspective in ways I couldn’t ignore. I developed a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to turn what I went through into something meaningful.

That’s why I created this nonprofit. To give back to kids that are in the same place I was once in. 

During treatment, you spend countless hours in hospital rooms, walking cold floors, searching for even the smallest sense of comfort. Something as simple as a pair of socks becomes part of your everyday life. My mission is to provide grip socks to kids with cancer offering comfort, safety, and a reminder that they are not alone.

When you’re going through something so difficult, even the smallest acts of care can make a meaningful difference. And every child deserves to feel supported, seen, and strong.

When I was going through treatment, my community showed up for me in ways I will never forget. Through fundraisers, donations, and countless acts of generosity, money was raised to support me and my family during one of the most difficult times in our lives.

Instead of using it, my parents made a decision that would stay with me forever, they saved that money so that one day, when I was older, I could choose how to use it to make a meaningful impact.

Years later, at my 10-year remission celebration, I finally understood what I wanted to do.

Standing in front of the people who had supported me since the beginning, I announced that I would be using those very donations, the same generosity that helped carry me through cancer, to start this nonprofit. It felt like everything had come full circle.

What was once given to help me survive is now being used to help other children facing the same battle. This organization is built on the kindness, love, and support that surrounded me during my hardest days, and it exists to pass that same comfort on to others.

Because this was never just my story. It was a community’s story. And now, it’s a way to give that love back.