I am honored to be back in Madison for Kids with Courage IV. Over the past 15 years, Kids with Courage has meant so much to me and my family. I love connecting with childhood cancer patients and families and seeing the strength they gain from one another. And, what an amazing sight it is to see hundreds of childhood cancer survivors all under one roof.

My connection with this fight, as you may know, is very personal. My little brother Jeffrey was not quite 4 years old when he lost a two-year battle with leukemia (ALL) in 1975. Living a couple hours south in DeKalb, Illinois, our family chose to have Jeff treated at UW Children’s Hospital in Madison. While my mother and I miss Jeff dearly, we are honored to stay closely connected with the UW Pediatric Hematology/Oncology program and are thrilled to see how the beautiful American Family Children’s Hospital turned out.

Most of all, we are grateful for the incredible advances that have come along toward curing childhood cancer since Jeff was diagnosed nearly 35 years ago. Back then, a diagnosis of cancer was virtually a death sentence for any child. Today, thanks to the amazing research taking place at the UW and other centers around the world, 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer today will be cured.

While we have come a long way, the job will not be finished until every last mystery of childhood cancer is unraveled and every child can be cured. With your continuing support, I know we will live to see that day.