I have accepted the Massey Challenge because I want to see a world without cancer.

In September of 2018, my baby brother, Daniel, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 19. The diagnosis was sudden, and he was immediately transferred to the ICU where he received treatment via the Massey Cancer Center. We lost Daniel just 9 days later.

A love letter to Daniel: he was the funniest member of our family, with a special taste for dark humor. He was an adept baker, delighting in making cakes and pastries and the occasional crème brûlée. He was a teenage boy. He loved music and video games and playing with our dog. We miss him terribly. And I would give anything to know the Daniel who would be 22 now.

VCU Massey Cancer Center is working to save lives and find cures here in Virginia. I have accepted the Massey Challenge to fundraise to support their life-saving cancer research, in hopes that we can find a cure and that fewer families will experience this kind of loss.

If you can, will you make a donation in honor of my dearly loved brother, Daniel?

Deb