Our Story

The Gold Ribbon Project started long before it had a name—it began with a childhood spent learning the power of service and the impact of cancer on a family.

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I began volunteering at 11 years old, and those early experiences taught me what it means to show up for others with consistency and heart. My connection to cancer came through the stories I heard about my great-grandmother’s battle and how it affected everyone around her. Even as a child, I understood that cancer changes the lives of entire families, not just the person facing the diagnosis.

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During my sophomore year of high school, I took part in a Child Life–focused program at a pediatric hospital that introduced students to the world of medicine. We met with physicians, observed different departments, and learned how pediatric care works behind the scenes. It was my first real window into how illness touches every part of a child’s life and how much support families need during difficult moments. That experience shaped how I understood compassion in healthcare and influenced the work I continued to do in pediatric settings afterward.

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Around that time, I was appointed the first Youth Ambassador for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which led me into advocacy, fundraising, and education efforts focused on pediatric cancer. I learned how awareness, research funding, and community support directly affect the lives of children in treatment.

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In 2017, I founded The Gold Ribbon Project to turn that understanding into action. Our early work focused on the simple but meaningful things—holiday toy drives for children in treatment, meal programs for families staying at Ronald McDonald House, and ongoing advocacy for stronger pediatric cancer research funding.

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Today, The Gold Ribbon Project continues to grow, guided by the lessons that shaped my childhood and the families who continue to inspire me. Our mission is rooted in compassion, hope, and a belief that no family should face this journey alone.