Meet Penelope Rai, our little warrior.
We created this foundation to honour the memory of our daughter. This is her story.
- February 16, 2016
The fateful day
One month before her second birthday, our beautiful daughter Penelope was diagnosed with Stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma. The word “cancer” is terrifying; hearing it applied to your child is an unimaginable shock.
Her chance of survival was less than 40%. That did not stop her from fighting with everything she had.
A battle like no other
Neuroblastoma is a silent killer, often undetected until it has spread. By the time Penelope was diagnosed, it had reached nearly every bone in her body, even her bone marrow.
She faced dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy, surgeries, stem-cell transplants, radiation and immunotherapy. She spent more than two calendar years in hospital, away from home, school, her sister and her friends. Through it all, her smile never left.
A rollercoaster of hope and heartache
After a month on life support following her stem-cell transplant, we learned the cancer had spread to her brain. Seventeen tumours. The doctors at SickKids told us no treatment options were left.
But we still had hope. For the next year we pursued every option, including treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City, fighting every step of the way.
- January 6, 2019
Forever in our hearts
After nearly three years of courage and determination, Penelope passed away. Her battle ended, but her legacy lives on.
Her spirit inspires us every day. It is for her, and for every child facing this disease, that we started the Penelope Neuroblastoma Foundation.
Why we fight
There is nothing more we can do for your child.
No parent should ever have to hear those words. Neuroblastoma is the most common and deadly solid-tumour cancer outside the brain in children, and it takes an army of doctors, researchers and supporters to make progress. That’s why we fight.
Please join us in honouring Penelope’s legacy.
Penelope’s bravery and joy continue to inspire everyone who hears her story. With your help, her light becomes hope for other children and families fighting neuroblastoma.
