From One Parent To Another
We know because we have lived it. The Strong and Brave Foundation was built by parents who have been exactly where you are standing right now. We did not start this foundation because we had all the answers. We started it because we knew how much it mattered to have someone walk alongside us, and we want to be that for you.
This page is a place to come when you need information, when you need a resource, when you need to feel less alone in what you are carrying, or when you simply need something to give your child to make them smile for a few minutes.
We are glad you found us.
Knowledge Is Power
Understanding The Diagnosis
We want to help you find your footing. Below is foundational information about the types of childhood cancer closest to our foundation’s story, as well as broader resources to help you understand what your family may be navigating.
What Is Childhood Cancer?
Childhood cancer refers to cancers that occur in children from birth through age 18. Unlike many adult cancers, childhood cancers are often not linked to lifestyle or environmental factors, they are largely the result of genetic changes that occur early in a...
What Is DIPG / Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG)?
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), now more broadly classified as Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG), is one of the most aggressive and devastating forms of childhood brain cancer. It forms in the brainstem, the part of the brain that controls breathing, heart...
What Is Sarcoma?
Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the bones and soft tissues, including muscle, fat, cartilage, and blood vessels. In children, sarcoma can be particularly aggressive and fast-moving, as the Slaiding family discovered when Cole was diagnosed just weeks...
Resources To Read & Share
Downloadable Information Sheets
These sheets are available to view directly on this page and to download and print for free. They are also designed to be shareable on social media, because spreading awareness is one of the most powerful things we can all do.
Tips & Guidance
Give Yourself Permission to Fall Apart, and to Be Strong
You do not have to hold it together every moment. Grief, fear, and anger are all valid. So is hope. So is laughter. You will feel all of it, sometimes in the same hour. That is not weakness, that is what it means to love a child fiercely.
Ask for Help, and Accept It When It Comes
When people offer to help, say yes. Let them bring the meals, take the other kids to school, sit with you in the waiting room. The community that showed up for Cole's family and for Briana's family changed everything for them. Let your community show up for you.
Keep a Journal or Care Notebook
Appointments, medications, test results, questions for doctors, it all becomes overwhelming quickly. Keeping a dedicated notebook or digital document can help you stay organized and feel more in control during a time when very little feels controllable.
Talk to Your Child Honestly, at Their Level
Children are perceptive. They know when something is wrong, and they often imagine things worse than the reality when they are not told the truth. Age-appropriate, honest conversations about what is happening can reduce fear and help your child feel included and...
Connect With Other Parents Who Understand
There is a specific kind of comfort that can only come from someone who truly knows what you are going through. Seek out support groups, online communities, and organizations, including ours, that can connect you with other families walking the same road.
Advocate Loudly for Your Child
You are your child's best advocate. Ask every question. Request second opinions. Push back when something does not feel right. No one will fight harder for your child than you, and that instinct is right. Trust it.
Take Care of Yourself, Too
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Sleep when you can. Eat when you can. Accept care for yourself as readily as you accept care for your child. Your wellbeing matters, not just for you, but for your child, who needs you present and as whole as possible.
Document the Good Moments
Amid the hardest days, there will be moments of joy, a laugh, a milestone, a day that felt almost normal. Document them. Photograph them. Write them down. These moments are not small. They are everything.
Coloring Pages
A Gift From Cole & Briana
We have created a series of coloring pages featuring Cole and Briana, a small, joyful offering for the children in your life who could use a few minutes of quiet creativity and color.
These pages are free to download and print. We hope they bring a smile to a child who needs one.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
We cannot promise we have all the answers. But we promise we will listen. We promise we will help however we can. And we promise you will not be alone in this.