In October of 2017, we lost our dear son, Nnamdi, to neuroblastoma. He was first diagnosed at just 9 months old and passed away one month after turning 2. For most of his short life, the hospital became his home. It was where he learned to crawl, where he took his first steps, and where so many milestones unfolded that should have happened in the comfort of home. In those two years, he endured more than any child ever should—surgery, countless injections, feeding tube placements, central lines, and the daily reality of pain.
By the time of his passing, tumors had spread throughout his little body. He could no longer walk, lived in constant pain, and slowly became a shadow of the bright, mischievous boy he had always been. As devastating as our story is, it is not unique. There are countless children and families walking this same road today, enduring the same pain, fear, and heartbreak.
But out of our grief, something was born. In 2018, Karaoke5K came to life—not just as a run or a walk, but as a celebration of Nnamdi’s legacy and a rallying cry to BEAT childhood cancer.
Throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we invite you to go GOLD for Nnamdi and every child still fighting. Together, we can honor their courage, fuel research, and take another step toward a world where no family has to endure this pain again.