JoyRx Stories: Inspiring Moments of Joy and Hope

Every child deserves moments of joy, even in the toughest times. At Children’s Cancer Association, we share real stories of strength, creativity, and connection — from kids and families finding light through our programs to the volunteers, staff, and partners who make these joyful experiences possible.

Are you a member of the media? Visit our Press Room or email Press@JoyRx.org to connect with our team and help share the JoyRx story.

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Meet CCA Hero, Marcella

Marcella Mercado is a courageous young woman who dances circles around her cystic fibrosis — literally. She loves to dance, everything from hip-hop and lyrical to jazz and ballet. Although her disease requires her to take a few extra precautions, she refuses to let it get in the way of her life.

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Meet CCA Hero, Jesse

Ask his friends and family to describe Jesse, and one word always comes up: generous. This thoughtful 18-year-old loves to put others before himself, even though he’s the one who’s fighting leukemia.

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Meet CCA Hero, Jazzy

Make way for Jasmine “Jazzy” Soria-Pons! She may be just three years old, but this sassy little girl is already running the show. “One night at the hospital, she got all the other kids out of bed and led them down the hall in an impromptu parade,” laughed her mom Monique. “She’s just a natural born leader, I guess.”

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Meet CCA Hero, Henry

Henry is a good-natured three-year-old with a serious thing for superheroes and garbage trucks. He faces every day with boundless energy and joy—in fact, the first thing he says when he wakes up is, “Yay! It’s morning time!”

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Meet CCA Hero, Holly

Holly is a sweet, quiet third-grader who loves the color purple, practicing the piano, singing, riding her bike, and playing board games with her parents and four siblings.

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Meet CCA Hero, Aaron

At 13, Aaron was already a Renaissance man. He played the alto sax. He sang in the choir. He’d even trained in ballroom dancing. And in the midst of it all, he battled leukemia.

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Meet CCA Hero, Asher

Asher is a super friendly kid with a smile that’s guaranteed to melt your heart. He loves to dance, play with his siblings (all nine of them!), and sing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” song with anyone who cares to join in.

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Meet CCA Hero, Jordyn

Jordyn is a kind, creative girl who dreams of being a scientist or a movie director. A real social butterfly, Jordyn has a large circle of pals and cherishes them all.

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Interview: Tim’s Story

Mitch from 105.1 The Buzz finds out from Tim and his mom, Susan, what it’s like to get a leukemia diagnosis as a teen. Their lives changed in an instant, but Tim was set up with a specially matched Chemo Pal to help him through it all.

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Interview: The Bruno Family

Tigard third grader Holly Bruno loves practicing songs on the piano, singing, and playing board games with her parents and siblings. She was a typical 8-year-old girl until August of last year, when pain on the side of her face led to a diagnosis of a type of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma.

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Help create Joy with us!

Individuals and organizations can make a difference in the lives of the kids and families we serve through giving, volunteering, partnering, hosting events, and so much more.