"Your Child Has Cancer": How Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance Softens Those Words.

In this episode, I meet with Jessica Alonso, Executive Director of Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, to share the full story behind an organization committed to one promise: no family should face childhood cancer alone.

Jessica’s journey began more than a decade ago as a bilingual family navigator and has grown into a deeply personal mission shaped by faith, service, and lived experience. Together, we talk about how Keaton’s supports children and families from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and beyond — and why the demand for these services continues to grow.

We'll cover:

• How Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance was founded in the wake of loss and love
• The Family Navigator program and why it’s the heart of the organization
• Supporting more than 450 families a year across Northern California
• The growing capacity challenge as one child a day is diagnosed
• Community partnerships that help families emotionally, financially, and medically
• Jessica’s own cancer journey and how it deepened her leadership and purpose
• What it would take to expand services so no family is ever turned away

Learn more or get involved:

🌐 https://childcancer.org/
📧 info@childcancer.org

Chapter Summaries

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Focus
I welcome Jessica Alonso, Executive Director of Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, and introduce a conversation about supporting families through childhood cancer.

02:00 – How Keaton’s Began
Jessica shares the origin of Keaton’s, founded after the loss of four-year-old Keaton Raphael and a promise to help families navigate pediatric cancer.

05:30 – Jessica’s Journey
From bilingual family navigator to executive director, Jessica reflects on 12 years shaped by service, faith, and advocacy.

08:45 – The Family Navigator Program
We explain how trained navigators support families from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and loss.

13:30 – Demand & Capacity
One child a day is diagnosed. Jessica discusses rising referrals and the urgent need to grow the navigator team.

17:30 – Partnerships That Matter
We highlight hospital, nonprofit, and community partners that help meet families’ emotional and financial needs.

21:30 – Funding the Work
Jessica outlines Keaton’s primary fundraisers, including the gala, golf tournament, and Gold Hope Walk.

25:45 – Research Support
We discuss how Keaton’s contributes to pediatric cancer research through community-driven fundraising.

29:00 – When the Leader Becomes the Patient
Jessica shares her own cancer journey and how it deepened her empathy and leadership.

33:30 – Vision & How to Help
We close with what growth could look like for Keaton’s and ways to get involved.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

Transcript

Jessica Alonso: [00:00:00] Even when treatment finishes, the journey does not end. The family still continues to need support and healing and other resources to continue the journey. And so we have families that have been with us well over a decade or 15 years now into survivorship or even some of our bereaved families still.

Choose to be a part of our organization, and it's just such an honor to see our kiddos grow as well as the siblings and, and everyone in the family continue to push past the cancer journey.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the nonprofit podcast network. Our purpose and passion are simple to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it [00:01:00] matters to the people they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors, partners, and neighbors alike. Our work is made possible through the generous support of our partners captrust, offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations, Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage.

It's about caring core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. And Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. Our episode sponsor is Sacramento Venture Philanthropy, a community of generosity, combining people, expertise, and capital for good.[00:02:00] 

In this episode, I'm joined by Jessica Alonso, executive Director of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance, an organization born from love loss, and an unwavering promise that no family should face childhood cancer alone. Jessica's journey with Keaton's began more than a decade ago as a bilingual family navigator, and has grown into a deeply personal mission shaped by faith, service and lived experience.

From supporting families at the moment of diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and even loss, Keaton's has built a model of care centered around compassion, trust, and long-term presence. In our conversation, we explore the heart of Keaton's work, the Family Navigator program serving hundreds of children across Northern California.

The growing demand for services as one child a day is referred to the organization and the community partnerships that make this work possible. This is a powerful conversation [00:03:00] about resilience capacity and what it truly means to walk alongside families during their most vulnerable moments. And why expanding this work has never been more urgent.

The end of our conversation also reveals a surprising outcome as Jessica shares her efforts to disengage and find her space outside the organization. You won't wanna miss it. 

Scott Thomas: Jessica Alonso. Welcome to the nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Jessica Alonso: Hi, Jeff. Thank you so much for having me today. It's an honor and privilege to share our Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance mission with you.

Jeff Holden: Well, we're excited to have you here and a fast pitch finalist and second runner up, if I'm not mistaken, in the 2025 10th anniversary of Fast Pitch. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes, we are truly, truly grateful to have come in second place, so honored and the opportunity was truly a beautiful privilege. Grateful to be a part of the 2025 cohort, and it helped to truly fine tune our pitch and [00:04:00] now we are sharing our video and fast pitch all over the community.

So very, very grateful for the opportunity. 

Jeff Holden: Well, as that was your short version today, we're gonna get the long version. And we're gonna really give you the opportunity to tell the story of Keaton's Child Cancer and, and how it came to be and how you came to be there. You started in 20 14, 12 years of growth in the organization, all the way to executive director.

What was it that got you started in the first place? Why did you originate with Keaton's? 

Jessica Alonso: I had moved to California from Florida as a military wife, and prayed about my mission here. That evening, I came across the bilingual family navigator position at Keaton's, and I immediately fell in love with the heart of the organization and the family story of how it came to be as someone that had lost a father figure at 10 years old to cancer.[00:05:00] 

Cancer advocacy was always, always at the forefront of my life, even at such a young age, and also it combined my love for children and a commitment to serving the community. Keaton Raphael was diagnosed at the age of four with neuroblastoma, and after nine months gained his angel wings. His loving parents, Kyle and Robin Raphael founded our organization just three weeks after his passing through a beautiful act of love to ensure that no other family that would hear the four terrible words your child has cancer would have to navigate this journey alone.

It is such a great honor to support the organization, serve the organization, and also to continue honoring the legacy of the Raphael family. 

Jeff Holden: What amazing foresight they had in the ability to look and say at such an early stage in their child's passing to move forward with that [00:06:00] organization and see what it is today.

You know what an incredible accomplishment, your mission to support children with cancer and their families with not only emotional and educational and financial support also goes into research. That's a lot. That's a pretty broad scope of service. Who is it you serve? 

Jessica Alonso: So we are honored to serve children from birth to young adulthood who are impacted by some form of pediatric cancer.

Our families reside within Northern California and are treated amongst seven pediatric oncology centers that we are honored to partner with. 

Jeff Holden: Who? Seven. Who would that be? 

Jessica Alonso: Yeah, so we are honored to support Kaiser Roseville, Sutter, Sacramento, uc, Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stanford, UCSF, children's Hospital Oakland, Kaiser Oakland, and UCSF, San Francisco.

So 

Jeff Holden: you actually do include the Bay Area in your geography? 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. So our goal [00:07:00] would be, our vision would be to expand services much further into the Bay Area, but sometimes our families that live here locally seek specialized care, and that is why we make it a priority to ensure that we are connected to them even if they are being treated in the Bay Area.

Jeff Holden: You mentioned something in the very beginning, you said navigator and. Knowing what I know about the organization, the navigator is really the crux of what you do. Will you explain what that is? 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. The family. '

Jeff Holden: cause I know you came through that in both, uh, you know, English and bilingual nature in Spanish.

Jessica Alonso: Yes. Uh, which was such an honor to begin as a family navigator and. Serve the families as directly as I did. And so the Family Navigator program, in essence, is the heart of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance. When a child is diagnosed, their hospital social worker will refer them directly to Keaton's, and they are matched with one of our family navigators.

This is a trained [00:08:00] professional that will help carry them from moment of diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and even if a child gains their angel wings. 

Brad Squires: Mm-hmm. 

Jessica Alonso: It's a trusted partner. That will help them navigate the complex medical systems, connect them to vital resources, but also these are the professionals that with care and compassion, provide the financial support through the grants gas and food cards, or help families connect to counseling, child and play therapies to help address the trauma as well.

Jeff Holden: So a navigator really becomes a member of the family in some way, shape or form over the course of their service to that family. How many navigators do you have? 

Jessica Alonso: We currently have three family navigators. 

Jeff Holden: They're busy, 

Jessica Alonso: sadly very busy. The number of referrals that are coming in, sadly one child a day is being diagnosed and referred to our program, and so capacity.

Jeff Holden: Mm. One child a day, that's 

Jessica Alonso: an issue. [00:09:00] 

Jeff Holden: Wow. How long will a navigator spend with a family? 

Jessica Alonso: That's a great question. Ultimately, it's as long as the, as the family needs the support on average for the most common childhood cancer, which is leukemia treatment could be anywhere from two to three years. However, we understand that even when treatment finishes.

The journey does not end. Mm-hmm. The family still continues to need support and healing and other resources to continue the journey, and so we have families that have been with us well over a decade or 15 years now into survivorship or even some of our bereaved families still choose to be a part of our organization.

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. That's absolutely amazing. I know we were talking a little bit earlier before we got started. There's a picture on the website of a young boy and he's holding a hope. Flags and you pointed him out. He's, he's now 16 years old. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Which is [00:10:00] a wonderful story. 

Jessica Alonso: It's absolutely amazing. We have the honor and privilege of seeing these precious children grow up just like Draven, as an example, who was three years old when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, and now he is thriving as a 16-year-old star student.

Football player, and it's just such an honor to see our kiddos grow as well as the siblings and, and everyone in the family continue to push past the cancer journey. 

Jeff Holden: Such a rewarding experience. It has to be, to see all of it come together like that. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes, it's, we're so. We always share with the families we wish we never had to meet under such circumstances, and yet we're so grateful.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Jessica Alonso: Because every child has such a beautiful light, such a beautiful story, and they're getting to know them and their family is truly a blessing. And so we're just grateful when families, you know, continue to be involved with the organization well beyond their child's [00:11:00] outcomes because we do become like family.

Jeff Holden: And I can see it for those who are just listening, I can see it in your face. When you tell the story of those families and the successes and the support that you give them, how many families can a navigator handle? 

Jessica Alonso: That's a great question. At a given time, we have about 30 to 35 families that a navigator is actively involved with.

Jeff Holden: One. One per 

Jessica Alonso: one, you 

Jeff Holden: mean? One could be managing up to 35 families. 

Jessica Alonso: At various stages of treatment. And so again, just wanna highlight capacity remains a challenge because one of our, our goals and visions is to easily triple the size of our navigator team. Sure. To continue to meet the demands of the services for our families.

Jeff Holden: We'll get into budget in just a second to, to address that. Who do you work with? What are some of the organizations that you would collaborate with? And I can imagine, you know, I can imagine some, but. Share with us who it is that you, you touch and who [00:12:00] interfaces and how many people are really interconnected in the.

Keaton's journey. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. It truly takes a village to come alongside a family navigating pediatric cancer, and so we're blessed to partner. Aside from the pediatric oncology centers I mentioned, we're grateful to partner with a lot of local nonprofits and organizations, churches and schools. A few to highlight would be Bayside Church, which has been a tremendous alliance partner for well over a decade, and comes alongside us to.

Support the families with in-kind donations and supports, as well as hosting beautiful events and activities for those we serve. We're also happy to partner with the Ronald McDonald House and Kiwanis family House to support lodging needs for families. We're also honored to partner with other wonderful nonprofits such as Mama Bears Fighting Cancer, Tyler Grace Foundation, Olivia Chan Foundation, Riley Grace Foundation, Kinsley's Unicorn Squad, heart's Landing Ranch, [00:13:00] shine With Purpose, and I'm sure there's many more that I may wanna make sure I don't, don't forget, but just so grateful for all the organizations mm-hmm.

That come alongside us. Also would love to highlight our Savior Lutheran church in Auburn. They have been making snuggle blankets for our Hope Chest Care packages for over a decade as well. Oh, by the way, a few other organizations that I wanted to make sure to share, and I apologize, I know I may not get everyone but two student run groups of youth.

Our kids helping kids Sacramento and NC Dance of Auburn. Both groups have also been with us, so for well over a decade, and it's been beautiful to see these youth, young servant leaders getting involved in helping other kids in need. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. Those are some long-term partners. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. We're so, so grateful to have all of these groups involved.

Also, just wanna highlight some of our beautiful groups, uh, that help bring joy filled experiences like Bitty Baity. Bridget, the League of Heroes inspired. Severe [00:14:00] magic effects. We're just so blessed, Jeff, with so much love, support, and folks leaning in to want to bring a smile, joy, and reminding the families that they're not alone in this journey.

Jeff Holden: And children do attract a different group. I mean, everybody can relate to a child. You know, they want to do what they can to support the child because that child is our future. And the more we can do to help these kids who have cancer, the better we all are for it. I 

Jessica Alonso: think we can all agree that children are truly gifts from God.

Mm-hmm. They are beautiful blessings and each have a, a beautiful light. And at Keaton's our goal is to protect that, that beautiful innocence that. Purity of a child and not allowing cancer to have an impact on that beautiful light. And it's through these partnerships, through our programs where we help kids just be kids, as we [00:15:00] often share with our events and activities, which we do many of those throughout the year for our families, we want them to experience joy, create beautiful family memories where cancer is not invited.

Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Or welcome. Or welcome, 

Jessica Alonso: correct. 

Jeff Holden: Very, very similar to some of the other organizations we've had in like a Shriners to where again, it's, it's it's children and it just has such a different impact, such a different feel to it than it is with adults. Not that any are more or less significant, but it gets that attention.

And, and we've had a conversation with Kiwanis and and Ronald McDonald House, so I love to hear that association for some of those organizations. Let's talk a little bit about the funding. How are you funded? 

Jessica Alonso: So we are primarily funded through three large events, fundraisers of Keaton's, and that includes a gala every February, a golf tournament in May, which typically sells out Good.

Please act fast in and join us, and I 

Jeff Holden: think you were saying. [00:16:00] It's been going on for how many years? 

Jessica Alonso: This will be our 29th annual chipping away our 

Jeff Holden: year. So 29 years and every year it's sold out, which is amazing. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Amazing. 

It's 

Jessica Alonso: one of our favorite days of the year and we hope I 

Jeff Holden: can 

Jessica Alonso: bet, hope our community will come alongside us yet again as we step closer and closer to that 30th anniversary next year.

Jeff Holden: And you have something. That you're working on? 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. I'm thrilled to share that. This September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we will be hosting our very first Gold Hope walk. This will be a children's centric walk where family members, caregivers, and loved ones are invited to join in on the fun. 

Jeff Holden: Okay, so it's is every February you've got your glow for gold, which is your your event, your fund, first fundraising event of the year.

Then you have in May, the golf tournament and now in September for pediatric cancer awareness. A walk. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Awesome. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. So those are our three, three large fundraisers. Uh, great opportunities to get to know a bit more about the organization and take action in getting [00:17:00] involved. And so we always look forward to having guests and volunteers join us to make those events successful.

Jeff Holden: You know what's pretty neat, Jessica, that you're doing this? Really organically, you're not relying on any government grants or, or federal grants in any way, shape or form. It's all done through the community. So you don't have that liability that so many other organizations do today with all the things changing in terms of the way things are funded.

But secondly, you continue to grow and you are over a million dollars in size of budget, which is what a compliment to the community to say that they've stepped up to do this and you continue to see it. And now another event. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: So that's, that's a big deal. 

Jessica Alonso: We're so grateful. Yeah. Grateful how the community has leaned in to support us for believing in our mission and in our vision of ensuring that no child has to fight this journey alone.

And it's a blessing through our corporate donors, individual donors, family foundations, and grants, in addition to those [00:18:00] three fundraisers. We have to raise every dollar, and we're grateful that we have a very supportive, compassionate community that comes alongside us to make that possible. 

Jeff Holden: How many people do you employ?

Jessica Alonso: We have seven current employees. 

Jeff Holden: You guys are busy. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes, we are all very, very busy, big, beautiful hearts as I like to say. We are small but mighty team and I'm blessed. I'm blessed with such a, a wonderful team, a strong team of women, and we're all all in with our faith first. And, you know, wanting to ensure that we continue to make this organization sustainable.

Jeff Holden: And I'm gonna compliment you too. This is a little bit of self-serving for the nonprofit podcast network because you were the first organization. I recognized as I was going through the list of employees, all seven of you had subscribed to the database, which speaks volumes. It tells you they're engaged, they wanna know what else is going on, and that's, that's compliments to the leadership.

So congratulations on that. 

Jessica Alonso: [00:19:00] Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: We'll be back to learn more about what's being done to support children with cancer from Jessica Alonzo of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance, right after we hear from those making this program possible. 

James Beckwith: I'm James Beckwith, president and CEO of five Star Bank. We're dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations who advocate for the strength, resilience, and vitality of those they serve.

When nonprofit organizations thrive, our community does too. By supporting the nonprofit podcast network, five Star Bank is amplifying the voices and meaningful impact of our nonprofit community. We're Five Star Bank, a trusted nonprofit partner. How can we help you? 

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Jeff Holden: Let's take a second to dream as many of your families do, what would the organization look like? If somebody comes in and said, Jessica, I've got this blank check. If you can give me a good explanation of what it would go to, how it would benefit the children and families differently than what you're [00:23:00] doing today, if you had basically un unlimited resources.

Jessica Alonso: Wow. I will say I, I dream often. I dream big, Uhhuh, uh, and that's where the vision for the organization is, is always at the forefront. If we had unlimited resources, our vision would become a reality for no child or family. To navigate the childhood cancer journey alone, we would touch the lives of every child within Northern California who is impacted by a form of pediatric cancer.

We would have even more impact through the financial support that can be given to families. The healing resources such as the counseling and child and art and play therapies that we offer. We, our team would grow in order to, of course, serve more families as well. We would be able to expand our new family wellness center to offer even more events, resources, and support on [00:24:00] site and truly be a hub for the community and for these, these families that we serve as well.

We would be able to support families for as long as they needed us. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Jessica Alonso: Knowing that should a child relapse have a recurrence. Or even bereavement support that we can continue to grow with them and that they have a safe haven to turn to when new needs or resources may become available. 

Jeff Holden: Let me ask, how many families do you have to turn down in a given period of time?

Let's say even just a month since you said one child a day. 

Jessica Alonso: So we're honored to serve well over 450. Children and families a year. So that's over 2,600 individuals. But leading up to the holidays is when we saw this heartbreaking turn of events were daily, we were receiving these referrals and [00:25:00] unfortunately we did not have capacity to serve them.

And so at this time we have about 15 to 20 families. We are currently seeking resources, support partnerships to ensure that they have some support, but certainly there's more support needed to be able to fulfill all their needs. 

Jeff Holden: What, I'm sure there's many that don't even get to you because they just don't know the resource exists.

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: But it sounds like you are taking everything you can. You're, you're, you're not a lack there. There's not an opening here or there every so often. It's just, it's a constant. Influx that sticks. 

Jessica Alonso: Correct. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. Yes. So our goal is as a family gets referred from their hospital or as you shared, families are now learning a bit more about us from other families who have Sure.

Been recipients and involved in our program. We want to ensure that we can help each and every one of them. And so that's where truly the need, the vision for [00:26:00] growth and sustainability mm-hmm. Comes into play. 

Jeff Holden: Let's get back to the reality of today, which we kind of softly transitioned into it. What's the greatest need that you have?

Jessica Alonso: The greatest need at this time is capacity. The demand for our services are only continuing to increase the number of children being diagnosed the family's needs. They are. Navigating crisis situations that are very complex. And so we would definitely need to be able to increase our team, expand our our services, expand our space as they shared with our wellness center to.

Be able to support those families. And of course that all relies on on funding. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. So you've got three navigators. Another navigator could be a great need because then you could pick up another 30, 35 families over the course of the year. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Which would be significant. 

Jessica Alonso: Absolutely. Each navigator, again, [00:27:00] we're so, so blessed with their training, their background, but true passion for serving our families in this space.

And they all, all go above and beyond. Aside from carrying a caseload. They each also run unique programs such as the Keans Teen Alliance, our Thriving Together program, which services the mental health support services, and also the bilingual advocacy program. So they are. All program coordinators as well as case managers, and again, doing a beautiful, beautiful job, but we need more, more team support.

Jeff Holden: What does a navigator's. Expectation look like. In other words, what are the qualifications that you look like that you look for in a navigator? 

Jessica Alonso: Great question. So many of our navigators have a background in either psychology or social work primarily, and trauma-informed care. And so from there, we provide additional training and support as needed within the pediatric cancer space.

But they all had already leaned [00:28:00] into careers and academic institutions that offered these programs as. Their their background. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. So if somebody is interested, we'll have the information in the show notes. They can reach out and say, I, I might have an interest in being a navigator. And then from there you can work backwards to what the funding looks like based on how the year goes.

Jessica Alonso: Yes, that would be a huge blessing. So thank you for helping us share. 

Jeff Holden: I was saying, and hopefully somebody who is listening to the program sees the value in this and is interested. And you know, makes that contribution to support what the cause is so that they can add, so that you can add another navigator and benefit with those families.

'cause three just is not enough. And I can see that already just with the scope of service that you're providing. And then you're also providing some funding toward a cure. How does that look? How does that work? 

Jessica Alonso: So through very specific events that we [00:29:00] host throughout the month of March, these are in partnership with St.

Baldrick's Foundation, which is a national pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. But locally, we partner with the Westfield Galleria each year, and folks sign up to have their heads, SHA shaved head shaped. Can I certainly remember this organization Now, the trimming is an option this year and the funds raised.

Specifically through that event are directed towards pediatric cancer research, and so we are able to keep some of those dollars local here at at uc, Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the additional funds go to the National Research Initiatives as well. 

Jeff Holden: So I'm gonna look at my producer here. Maybe in March.

We'll both go get our head shaped and say that we're supporting these cancer organizations. We have so many of them, right? 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. We'd love to have you come join us. It's a, a beautiful event and we honor our kiddos and their stories, and many of them right now are navigating clinical trials and the treatment options that.

For many [00:30:00] that have led to their survival, were based on research. And so that is, uh, a third part of our mission and we're grateful to continue that effort and partnership with St. Baldrick's. 

Jeff Holden: Ah, that's neat. That's very neat. So at this point, we tend to ask the executive directors, you guys have a lot on your plate and you're dealing with children and families, which is, is a, a constant emotional drain and strain, but how.

Most people relax is is what the conversation typically is. This year has been a little bit different for you. Tell us what's been going on 

Jessica Alonso: In 2024, I received a call actually at our Keaton's golf tournament that my mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Jeff Holden: Hmm. I'm sorry to hear that. 

Jessica Alonso: I was honored to be able to support her from afar as she resides in Florida through that journey and her decisions, and I'm grateful to share that she's a survivor today.

Great. [00:31:00] And has always been, of course, my, my inspiration due to her journey and experience. Although no genetic correlation, I took a leap of faith and decided to get checked. And after two months of procedures and biopsies and assessments, I was diagnosed with stage one invasive breast cancer, and that was June of 2025.

At that moment, I didn't have a choice but to pause and reflect on my health, the need for self-care. And was now on the other end of the spectrum and realized how important it was to seek help, support, learned that a village was the only way that getting through the journey would be possible and. My journey allowed me [00:32:00] to reflect on my mission here at Keans.

Mm-hmm. And how now my experience, my story. Has just continued to strengthen my commitment to serving our precious kiddos, their families, and now even relating to them on a bit more personal level. Through my journey, I'm grateful to share that last year, December, I was able to close. The chapter on the majority of my treatment, and although my journey is not over, I continue to stay anchored in faith and grateful for the Lord's faithfulness throughout my entire journey, and proud to continue leading this organization now with even more passion than I ever thought could be possible.

Jeff Holden: How ironic that you would have the ability to not only experience. From a familial perspective, but from a personal perspective and the awareness that it is time [00:33:00] to reflect and pause in your own health because it's necessary and to all of our executive leadership. Everybody needs to do that. And sometimes we get hit really hard with the awareness of chill.

Take a break. It's important, and I sincerely appreciate you sharing that because for so many women, of which many of the organizations are led by women, the awareness of that, this is a stressful position. Stress is not healthy in duration and constant, and it needs a break. You have to let your body heal and sometimes it, it takes a real.

Wake up call and I'm so glad to hear that you caught it early and that you're in great shape. And I'm just reflecting this is at the same time that you're, you've been diagnosed that you're also practicing for the fast [00:34:00] pitch presentation to raise funds for the organization. 

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: What an amazing commitment 

Jessica Alonso: It.

Early on, once I received the diagnosis and I found out that I had been selected as one of the top 16 organizations, I, I took a moment to express gratitude and pray over the next steps and turned to my team, my partner of Fast Pitch my coaches, and said I can see myself on that stage November 17th. If you all are okay with navigating this journey with me, let's do this together, but I will be on that stage November 17th.

And surely I, I was and had a beautiful outcome. I will say the SVP process, family team will always hold a special place in my heart because during my [00:35:00] sessions and in between sessions, I had not one but two surgeries. The day right after Fast Pitch, I began radiation. And so God's timing was perfect, and I'm just so grateful for the belief, the support, the encouragement that I received along the way, even from folks that did not know what I was navigating behind the scenes, but their belief in me meant the world because it wasn't just about the pitch.

I was fighting cancer and trying to survive and make some big decisions for my own health. Mm-hmm. And for my family. And so they will always hold a special place in my heart and everyone involved with that entire, entire beautiful program. 

Jeff Holden: That is a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing that. And I know that wasn't easy to do, but again, I think so many people will benefit from hearing that and really appreciate you sharing it.

Jessica Alonso: Thank you. Thank you. I was just again, [00:36:00] grateful. I just wanted to add, when I was on that stage, it was about the children and families, and I felt their presence with me that night. Mm-hmm. And they gave me the strength ultimately, and have this entire journey. It was the children that we have served and their strength, their bravery, resiliency, and perseverance that ultimately gave me the strength.

To take one step at a time and navigate my own journey. 

Jeff Holden: Isn't that a beautiful relationship? 

Jessica Alonso: So incredibly special and many not knowing, again, had not disclosed right at that point. My journey, I. But they were each giving me that spark of love, encouragement along the way. And my why mm-hmm. Has always been solid in, in my faith and through it all, and with the honor of serving these precious kids and their families.

And that's what kept made it all possible. 

Jeff Holden: There's a, uh, there's a line that [00:37:00] we hear often from one of our other. Podcasts that we produce and the gentleman shares the two greatest days of our lives are the day we're born and the day we find out why. And once you've got that purpose and you understand it, nothing stops you.

Jessica Alonso: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Because you know what you're doing. 

Jessica Alonso: Absolutely. I am so grateful that God opened the doors to Keaton's 12 years ago and that I stepped forward. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Jessica Alonso: And it's been the greatest blessing, the greatest honor to lead with love and purpose and serve our community here. Don't forget passion. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. Because I will say you are one of the most visibly passionate people.

For your organization and and what you guys do. While we're on that, this, this movement forward, what's the best way to learn about the organization? How can people learn more and about your events, your [00:38:00] activities, what you do? Where should they go? 

Jessica Alonso: We invite everyone to visit child cancer.org, which is our website with all of our different events, activities, as well as following us on all of the social media platforms.

That is where we share all of the happenings of Keaton's and ways to get involved. And of course, folks are more than welcome to reach out to us at info at Child Cancer dot. Org or even call us directly, we love to connect with folks. And so 9 1 6 7 8 4 6 7 8 6. Perfect. We'd love to hear from you, 

Jeff Holden: and I will put all that information in the show notes too.

So if you're out doing something else while you're listening to the episode, when you get home, you can find all that information, you know, in the show notes regardless of where you're, you're listening or watching the episode. Jessica, what you and your team are doing is really remarkable work and it's so appreciated by those that you support over years that you're associated with those individual [00:39:00] families.

It's, it's incredible to see that you would be connected that long. And with your recent cancer journey, it really emphasizes the significance of your commitment to the cause in a whole new way. Thank you. Thanks to all those working, those seven really powerful women working at Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance.

You have an incredible team. You are amazingly committed, and for that, we appreciate what you do. 

Jessica Alonso: Thank you. It is our greatest honor, and thank you for helping us share our key INS mission. 

Jeff Holden: Absolutely. Our pleasure and privilege. Thank you for listening to the nonprofit podcast Network. We hope today's episode inspired you and gave you a deeper look into the work of our local nonprofits.

If you believe in our mission to amplify their voices, please take a moment to leave us a positive review and share this episode with a friend. It helps more people discover the incredible work happening in our [00:40:00] community. Don't miss future episodes. Subscribe to our weekly updates and monthly newsletter@nonprofitpod.com.

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