When CNN correspondent René Marsh’s son, Blake, died of brain cancer in April, she committed herself to changing the cruel reality of the deadliest disease facing this country’s children.
She and her husband joined forces with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation to raise funds for promising new research, and she advocated for pediatric cancer patients through the #CancelChildhoodCancer petition. Most recently, she addressed members of Congress about the personal impact of cancer on young patients and their families, raised awareness on Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s “Chasing Life” podcast about the disparities in adult and pediatric research, and helped other families find their voice during PBTF’s Engaging in Advocacy webinar.
René’s new children’s book The Miracle Workers: Boy vs. Beast is the next step in her commitment to defeating the terrible disease that stole her son.
The Miracle Workers: Boy vs. Beast, available today at www.ReneMarsh.com, is a fun and inspirational story of a little boy living in a magical land. The little boy, named Blake, has a monster of a problem that only a miracle can solve. The tale teaches children and reminds parents of a moral missing from many children’s books: the first step to overcoming any challenge in life is believing you can. Blake calls on the Miracle Workers for help, but will he unlock the secret to receiving his miracle? This story reveals the power of hope and faith.
Penned during the nearly year and a half Blake spent enduring cancer treatments, this book is also René’s story of turning pain into purpose. Sales of the book will fund pediatric brain cancer research through PBTF, including a pioneering initiative to develop treatments for Blake’s rare disease, pineoblastoma.
“Children will enjoy the colorful illustrations and triumphant story of The Miracle Workers, while parents will appreciate that the impact of the book will expand beyond the pages,” René says.
René continues to harvest hope that miracles can and will happen for other children when more research funding results in better treatments, and she views each child who reads this book as a miracle worker, carrying on Blake’s legacy by helping support that cause.
Learn more and order the book today at www.ReneMarsh.com and engage with updates across social media through #themiracleworkersbook hashtag.
About the Pediatric Brain Tumor FoundationEvery day, 13 children and teens are diagnosed with a brain tumor, the deadliest and most common form of cancer in kids under 15. Every day after, they are in a fight for their life. It’s a fight the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is here to help families win. A leader in the brain tumor and childhood cancer communities, PBTF’s mission of Care. Cure. Thrive. reflects its commitment to curing all pediatric brain tumors and transforming how children and their families are cared for. Since 1991, PBTF has provided strategic leadership and funding to accelerate the number of targeted therapies for children battling brain tumors today, while equipping families with the patient-family education, financial relief, and emotional support they need to navigate their child’s journey. A world without childhood brain tumors is possible when we work together to put kids first. Learn more at www.curethekids.org.
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) proudly announces an infusion of $1 million to help researchers, led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Drs. Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayay and Rameen Beroukhim, launch a study into a novel therapeutic target and expand their research into overcoming treatment resistance and rebound growth.
Recently, the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act gained significant momentum in Congress when Charlie, a 12-year-old brain tumor survivor and advocate with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, testified to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee about the hurdles families face when seeking treatment for their child. Now, to see it become law requires your immediate action.
