The first 48 hours after a childhood cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, uncertain, and impossible to put into words—but your story matters. By sharing your experience, you can help another family feel seen, understood, and a little less alone in those first moments. Whether it’s what you felt, what helped, or what you wish you had known, your voice has the power to comfort and connect our community.

We’re inviting families, survivors, and caregivers to share what the first 48 hours after diagnosis were really like. Your story can help others navigate those early moments with a little more clarity, comfort, and hope. Together, we can remind every family facing childhood cancer that they are not alone.

Read some of their stories:

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a national nonprofit dedicated to securing federal, state, corporate, and private funding for childhood cancer research, while also serving as the largest provider of free educational support materials for children with cancer and their families in the U.S.

For more than fifty years, the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) has worked diligently to make childhood cancer a national child health priority. During this time, childhood cancer rates have risen, and cancer remains the number one cause of disease-related death among children in the U.S. Despite advances in adult cancer treatments, most children still endure harsh therapies including chemotherapy, radiation, and invasive surgeries, with little change in protocols over the past three decades. These treatments, given during critical developmental stages, lead to lasting effects such as secondary cancers, brain damage, heart disease, learning disabilities, and infertility. As the oldest national nonprofit founded by and for families affected by childhood cancer, ACCO is uniquely positioned to advocate for these children and their families, addressing the urgent need for research and informational support.

Donate to Help Families Going through their First 48