"Your Child Has Cancer": How Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance Softens Those Words.

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In this episode, I meet with Jessica Alonso, Executive Director of Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, to share the full story behind an organization committed to one promise: no family should face childhood cancer alone.

Jessica’s journey began more than a decade ago as a bilingual family navigator and has grown into a deeply personal mission shaped by faith, service, and lived experience. Together, we talk about how Keaton’s supports children and families from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and beyond — and why the demand for these services continues to grow.

We'll cover:

• How Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance was founded in the wake of loss and love
• The Family Navigator program and why it’s the heart of the organization
• Supporting more than 450 families a year across Northern California
• The growing capacity challenge as one child a day is diagnosed
• Community partnerships that help families emotionally, financially, and medically
• Jessica’s own cancer journey and how it deepened her leadership and purpose
• What it would take to expand services so no family is ever turned away

Learn more or get involved:

🌐 https://childcancer.org/
📧 [e-mail]

Chapter Summaries

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Focus
I welcome Jessica Alonso, Executive Director of Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, and introduce a conversation about supporting families through childhood cancer.

02:00 – How Keaton’s Began
Jessica shares the origin of Keaton’s, founded after the loss of four-year-old Keaton Raphael and a promise to help families navigate pediatric cancer.

05:30 – Jessica’s Journey
From bilingual family navigator to executive director, Jessica reflects on 12 years shaped by service, faith, and advocacy.

08:45 – The Family Navigator Program
We explain how trained navigators support families from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and loss.

13:30 – Demand & Capacity
One child a day is diagnosed. Jessica discusses rising referrals and the urgent need to grow the navigator team.

17:30 – Partnerships That Matter
We highlight hospital, nonprofit, and community partners that help meet families’ emotional and financial needs.

21:30 – Funding the Work
Jessica outlines Keaton’s primary fundraisers, including the gala, golf tournament, and Gold Hope Walk.

25:45 – Research Support
We discuss how Keaton’s contributes to pediatric cancer research through community-driven fundraising.

29:00 – When the Leader Becomes the Patient
Jessica shares her own cancer journey and how it deepened her empathy and leadership.

33:30 – Vision & How to Help
We close with what growth could look like for Keaton’s and ways to get involved.

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