Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation

Melody enjoyed playing with her toy flute and ukulele. She loved the color hot pink and unicorns, loved to draw and paint, do school work and write her name. She lost her ability to use her right hand so she learned to write her name with her left hand. She was a true warrior and never gave up. What was remarkable is that despite how physically cruel and devastating DIPG was to her and her little body, she always maintained her kind and loving spirit, never complaining. She was so incredibly brave and stoic throughout it all. She even learned to ride her bike. And she had a smile and laugh that could light up the room. Melody was an angel on earth, a true hero and inspiration.

Yuvi was a warm, happy and loving boy. He liked being the center of attention and the source of endless amusement and laughter for everyone around him. He enjoyed learning new things and could name fruits, vegetables, bugs and vehicles from A to Z. He was always ready for a good snuggle (especially with mommy!). None of this changed, even after he was diagnosed at age 2 with the deadliest form of brain cancer – diffuse midline glioma (DMG). Yuvi lived each day of his short life with joy. He is our hero and inspiration, the force that drives us to continue the fight for other children and families.

We never imagined childhood cancer would touch our family —until it did. Now, we know how much every act of support matters to draw attention and funding to accelerate the path to a cure. This please stand with the brave children and families facing the unimaginable: share the post, wear the t-shirt, make the donation, tell someone about the brave child you read about or have/had the honor of knowing.

www.ytfoundation.org/donate

Last call to honor your hero and share their story! Help us make a huge impact this !
www.ytfoundation.org/heroes

For childhood cancer awareness month we will be honoring the most courageous heroes we know — children who are fighting, or have fought, brain cancer. Their strength, bravery, and resilience are simply beyond words, and an inspiration to us all. 🎗️

We invite you to share your child’s story with us so we can celebrate their incredible spirit as we continue to bring attention to the need for increased funding and support for pediatric brain cancer.

To participate, please visit www.ytfoundation.org/heroes

For childhood cancer awareness month we will be honoring the most courageous heroes we know — children who are fighting, or have fought, brain cancer. Their strength, bravery, and resilience are simply beyond words, and an inspiration to us all. 🎗️

We invite you to share your child’s story with us so we can celebrate their incredible spirit as we continue to bring attention to the need for increased funding and support for pediatric brain cancer.

To participate, please visit www.ytfoundation.org/heroes

Today, as we are reminded of your final moments with us three years ago, our hearts ache a little more. Now, your memory is our blessing, your life is our inspiration, and the legacy you left behind is a source of hope for others.
Yuvi, we love you and miss you so so much. 💛

We are honored to support renowned pediatric brain tumor physician and scientist Dr. Michelle Monje with her groundbreaking research to understand mechanisms influencing CAR T cell therapy for . The $675,000 funds will cover a 3-year study to optimize immunotherapeutic strategies for DMG, providing a beacon of hope for families in the fight.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our foundation, enabling us to fund targeted, innovative research that will improve the outcomes for children battling incurable and fatal brain tumors.

Read more: tinyurl.com/y6756zw4

Thank you to all of our amazing supporters for making this possible! 💛 It has become an annual family tradition to donate toys and activity books to Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in March, Yuvi's birthday month. During Yuvi's many visits to the hospital, these are the little things that brought a smile to his face. It is our hope to continue to bring smiles to other brave children fighting brain tumors for years to come.

Six years ago, on this day we were blessed with the sweetest baby boy, Yuvaan. The day was warm, bright and sunny, and so reflective of the personality he soon developed. We called him Yuvi affectionately and that became his preferred name. Yuvi’s huge smiles, silly jokes and that mischievous twinkle in his eye brought so much joy to us. The love he shared so generously was welcome by all. We cherished his hugs, cuddles and snuggles. But then, one day, out of nowhere, Yuvi was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma (DMG) - an aggressive and universally fatal form of brain cancer. We were shattered, we were broken. But our Yuvi was not. He faced DMG with courage, resilience, positivity and grace, making the best of every awful card he was dealt. In Yuvi’s short life, he taught us a lifetime of lessons. Although we still cannot wrap our heads around the fact that Yuvi was taken from us so soon, we live each day with our hearts wrapped tightly around him, holding on to every moment we were so fortunate to share. Happy birthday, Yuvi! We love you and miss you beyond measure.

Yuvi always wanted to be “big” and, although he did not get to grow up, the impact he made on us and on others fighting DMG/DIPG gets bigger each day. In honor of Yuvi’s 6th birthday, we would deeply appreciate your support in helping to change the course of pediatric brain cancer: www.ytfoundation.org/donate

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Our hearts are filled with sadness as our friend and hero Carter Woodall passed away today after a 17-month battle with DMG. We had the honor of meeting sweet Carter and his family last November. Carter's beautiful smile, sense of humor and bright warm personality stood out right away and will forever live in our hearts. Rest in peace Carter, we will continue the fight in your honor 🙏

Please join us in prayer for the Woodall family.

Meet our friend and supporter Ritvik Shah, a compassionate 15-year-old with a heart of gold!

In 2022 Ritvik propagated his first batch of Pothos plants in memory of Yuvi and sold them in his neighborhood to raise funds for the foundation. Last year, Ritvik continued his effort to raise awareness and funds for pediatric brain cancer and sold more plants at Fulton Science Academy Private School.

Ritvik’s modest initiative has now expanded into www.plantsforpurpose.com with a wider mission to promote a greener earth, cleaner air and a brighter and healthier future for children around the world.

We are incredibly grateful for Ritvik’s support and honored to have him as a champion for our cause!

We are honored to support this important project by Dr. John Prensner at Michigan Medicine. It will provide a customized analysis of the DIPG genome, focused on systematically defining regions of microprotein translation. This will be the first attempt to fully catalogue the extent of protein-coding genes in DIPG.
See how we are accelerating research to find a cure: https://www.ytfoundation.org/impact

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their loved ones!🎄It was an honor to bring joy and smiles to Viv and her brother Corbin yesterday. Vivacious Viv has been fighting DIPG since June 2022. Her courage and love for life are inspiring to so many others in the community.
Thank you to all of our supporters for helping us make moments like these possible for families in the fight!

Yuvaan Tiwari Foundation thanks for your help with these amazing gifts! 🎗🦖🙏🏻

Earlier this month we found ourselves at the CHOA Scottish Rite Hospital Emergency Room. It was our first time back in 3 years. Fortunately it was nothing serious but we did spend most of the night and day there - walking down the same halls, waiting in the same rooms, and passing by those same landmarks that we encountered in 2020. Raw emotions and memories resurfaced from the worst day of our lives: Diagnosis Day (also known as D-Day to the many other parents who have experienced the endless horrors of that single day).

Diagnosis Day: December 21,2020. The day we heard the word "lesion", then "mass", then "tumor", each word propelling us into a new spiral of despair. The day our sweet son Yuvi went from being an active playful 2-year-old to a little boy fighting a big, vicious, incurable brain tumor, with a 0% chance of survival. The day our Yuvi stopped walking and running on his own. The day Yuvi received the first poke and surgery of many more to follow. The day we first saw fear in our bright, brave Yuvi’s eyes. The day I felt the tightest knot in my throat, the heaviest pit in my stomach and a pain, desperation and sickness I cannot fully describe. These feelings come back from time to time, most predictably on this particular day. The day our lives changed forever.
I don’t think we have ever been fully able to process the events from that day or from the months that followed, and I am not sure we ever will. For me, and many other DMG/DIPG parents this “D” day is worse than the other one because it marks the beginning of the excruciatingly painful journey of helplessly watching your child suffer as they are robbed of every single one of their abilities. It is every parent’s worst nightmare.

Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) is a universally fatal pediatric brain tumor. DMGs are extremely aggressive and fast-growing, with median overall survival of eight to eleven months from the time of diagnosis. The protocols for treatment have remained unchanged for the last 60 years. We urgently need targeted and innovative research that will lead to better treatment options and ultimately, a cure.

As you prepare to celebrate the holiday season, please take a moment to spare a thought or prayer for those families that are facing a DMG diagnosis. And, if you have the means, please consider supporting our mission to end pediatric brain cancer: www.ytfoundation.org/donate.

Every day 13 children are diagnosed with a brain tumor, the deadliest and most common form of cancer in children. On 12/21/20 our 2-year-old son Yuvi was 1 of those 13. He died 7 months later due to a lack of treatment options. Please consider helping us fund innovative research to improve outcomes for other children battling brain cancer.
www.ytfoundation.org/donate

Thank you SO much to the incredibly kind person/people who decorated Yuvi's swing for Diwali!✨ It was a beautiful surprise for us and really touched our hearts.

Clare is a sweet 8-year-old girl from Cleveland who was diagnosed with DIPG on June 18, 2018. She knows what she likes and will tell you when you embarrass her. She is wildly funny and happy to do her own thing, making her own path and proving everyone wrong.
Clare has been through radiation and three and a half years of chemotherapy and continues to fight DIPG with her bright and bubbly spirit!

Big Miracle Little Girl

3-year-old Elizabeth had an infectious smile, silly laugh, and witty personality. She loved her family and her younger sister Kaitlyn. She loved country music (especially Kenny Chesney) and her teddy bear, Hershey Kisses. Her favorite color was purple. She was an old soul. Elizabeth fought DIPG for almost 2 years.

Ezekiel was an intelligent and considerate boy who courageously battled DIPG for 5 months. He was a good son, a good brother, and a good friend. He enjoyed playing baseball, watching Star Wars, learning about history, and eating tacos and donuts. He had a hilarious sense of humor and was constantly making people laugh with his jokes. He was super social and enjoyed talking to everyone. He was a passionate reader. He dreamed of having a house full of books and often said that reading was living! Ezekiel was so loving and caring. He adored all animals, especially his cat, Ginger, and loved his sister, Jazmin, more than anything.
Ezekiel made such a positive impact on his family and this world during his short life.

Xavier was a popular college student who had finished his freshman year before everything changed with a DMG diagnosis. He was known among his friends for his kindness, compassion, sense of humor, and willingness to help those in need or in neglect. He also excelled in sports. Xavier was excited about his studies and his life, and he had everything to live for.
Xavier battled DMG for 22 months. During his difficult journey with brain cancer, he inspired us with his will to live, incredible courage, kindness and willingness to give us his beautiful smile, and most importantly his unquestioning and unconditional faith.

https://p2p.thecurestartsnow.org/636

Sarah radiated positive energy every time she walked into a room. She was a ray of sunshine. She was well known for wearing big bows, loving unicorns, and being a good friend. Sarah loved playing Monopoly, UNO, crafting, hiking, and dancing.
Sarah was a second grader when she was diagnosed with DIPG on January 26, 2022. Sarah fought with courage, and a positive attitude every step of the way. She taught us to enjoy every moment and always looked for light amidst darkness. Sarah will always be a superhero.

Karter was a sweet and caring boy who always had a smile on his face, a song to sing, dance moves like no other, and a heart of gold. He loved his family, and he loved hockey. He was a superman for the Edmonton Oilers. Karter also enjoyed Marvel movies, and swimming was one of his favorite activities.
Karter should be turning 7 today but two months ago he lost his life to the deadliest type of brain cancer - Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Karter not only fought DIPG with all his might, but also used his journey to teach so many people so many things.
Happy heavenly birthday, Karter!

Karters Cancer Crusade

Levi was an incredible soul who loved quality time with his family and dog. He danced in a Polynesian dance group where he performed Haka and Samoan Slap Dances (his favorites). He played Fortnite and loved building Lego masterpieces.
Baking was his talent, and he made the best chocolate chip cookies. Levi wanted to grow up and open a Cookie Lab as he considered it a science.
Levi bravely fought a 14+ month battle with DMG. He fought with resilience, gratitude, humor and above all… hope. Levi was loved by all who knew him, and he loved them deeply in return.

Peyton is an incredibly intelligent, imaginative, and kind 13-year-old. He played soccer, reads voraciously, and even skipped 8th grade! Peyton loves music and was a percussionist in his middle school band. He has an incredible singing voice, showcased on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD3rmiTdiv-3jrcBgAonAg

Peyton was diagnosed with DMG at the end of 2022. His Make-A-Wish wish was for funds for an orphanage in Africa to build a pailotte for their toddlers. He said: “I want to do something that leaves a lasting impact.”

Peyton was recently hospitalized for seizures. Although he is back home now, his latest MRI shows tumor progression. Peyton is currently battling dizziness, double vision, headaches, nausea and weakness among other debilitating symptoms. Please join us in sending love and prayers for Peyton and his family.
Peyton James vs The DMG Brain Blob

Show your support here:
https://www.bonfire.com/store/peyton-james-vs-the-dmg-brain-blob/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-valiquette-family

Owen’s smile could light up a room. He had an infectious laugh, quick wit and an amazing sense of humor. He also had an extremely loving and kind heart. Owen loved singing, dancing and watching his favorite Disney or Marvel movies.
This amazing little boy inspired us all to enjoy the mundane things in life as he found joy in the simplest things like staying home on a rainy day to watch movies with family.
Owen passed away on June 30, 2023 after a two-year battle with DMG.

www.pledgereg.com/4856/Team/23171

Daniya was the perfect combination of sweet and strong. She cared deeply for others and managed to maintain that kindness while confidently speaking her mind and giving her opinion. She loved nature - from collecting rocks, pinecones and other treasures, to holding worms, lady bugs, and ants, to pretending she was an archaeologist digging in the sand. Whenever she saw a pretty flower or dandelion, she always wanted to pick one to gift to her loved ones.
Daniya’s favorite food was mac and cheese. She would say that her favorite color was rainbow but if you made her choose a color, she would settle on pink, white, and yellow. Her sweet, silly presence is deeply missed, including the songs she made up on the spot about whatever she was thinking about, and her perfect hugs.
Memories of Daniya still bring smiles and laughs to all those who knew her.

DMG Warrior Daniya
Donate2csn.org/DaniyaK

Talin was an adorable 5-year-old boy who was just starting school. He was a joy to be around. He loved his brothers Kian and Tristan, and being with his dad.
On Easter weekend in 2012, Talin presented with a loss of balance. Two days later he was diagnosed with the deadliest type of brain cancer - DIPG. Sadly, Talin died in his dad’s arms just 13 weeks later.
Sweet Talin touched the lives of many people all over the world with his dignity and sheer strength.

Join us for an update on the current state of research and clinical trials for DMG/DIPG. Speakers include PNOC scientific experts
Dr. Carl Koschmann, Dr. Javad Nazarian & Dr. Sabine Mueller. This webinar will provide a rare opportunity to ask questions directly to the world’s leading DMG/DIPG experts with a live Q&A.

The webinar will be recorded and available on demand for those who cannot tune in in real time. Register and you will receive the link for the recording.

Register here: tinyurl.com/mr8wtfjh