The 7% Gallery
Only 7% of cancer research funding in Canada currently goes towards paediatric cancers. This statistic is something we hope together we can change through community, to provide more hope and better outcomes for affected children and their families.
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Andrew Bondoc
Andrew plays a vital role in the Rutka Lab at the Brain Tumour Research Centre, where he oversees the Brain Tumour Biobank. Supported by funding from Meagan Bebenek Foundation, the Biobank stores essential biological samples that allow researchers to identify targetable genetic changes in paediatric brain tumours. His work helps drive discoveries that move treatments forward and bring new hope to children and families facing these diagnoses.
Anthony
MBF Hero
For years, Anthony faced relentless treatments with a quiet strength that belied his age. He loved road trips, exploring new places, creating art, and caring for the people around him, even as his illness progressed. His family now carries forward his wish: that no child’s life be cut short because paediatric brain cancer remains so overlooked.
Carolyn
MBF Hero
At just six years old, Carolyn faced a brain‑stem tumour and a nine‑hour surgery that changed her life. What she remembers most is the moment hundreds of strangers joined hands outside her hospital window, sending her strength through Meagan’s Walk & Hug. That circle of love carried her forward - so much so that the very next year, she walked part of the route herself.
Cosimo
MBF Hero
Cosimo was just nine when Medulloblastoma changed his world, yet he met every day with courage far beyond his years. He kept playing hockey, kept going to school, and kept hope alive for 18 precious months. His family walks each year in his spirit - honouring him, and every child still fighting.
The Meagan Marie Bebenek Bridge
Dedicated in 2015, The Meagan Marie Bebenek Bridge honours a young life lost too soon and the extraordinary impact made in her name. Stretching between SickKids and its Patient Support Centre, it symbolizes the journey from research breakthroughs to the children waiting for them. It is a bridge of purpose, carrying the weight of families’ hopes for better treatments and brighter futures.
Denise Bebenek - Meagan's Walk
Denise Bebenek, the driving force behind Meagan Bebenek Foundation, turned unimaginable grief into a powerful call for action and connection. Behind each image in this gallery is a child whose future depended on research that still receives only a fraction of the support it needs. Her belief that no family should face this journey alone is the heartbeat of this organization.
Dr. James Rutka
Children facing brain tumours deserve more than the fraction of funding they receive today. Their futures depend on the breakthroughs that remain just out of reach. Dr. James Rutka, paediatric neurosurgeon, Senior Scientist, and Director of the Brain Tumour Research Centre at SickKids reminds us that awareness and support are the catalysts that turn hope into discovery.
Meagan Bebenek
Neuro-oncology Fellowship
The Meagan Bebenek Neuro‑oncology Fellowship brings global talent to SickKids, empowering researchers to push forward in a field that receives only a fraction of the funding it desperately needs. Dr. Caballero Bellón (centre) devoted her work to advancing liquid biopsy techniques to better diagnose and monitor children with brain tumours. Her research reflects what becomes possible when brilliant minds are given the chance to collaborate, innovate, and hope.
Dr. Ronald Cohn
Every child facing a brain tumour deserves more than hope - they deserve action. Dr. Cohn, President and CEO of SickKids and a global leader in paediatric genetics and Precision Child Health, has spent his career pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for children with neurogenetic disorders. His work reminds us that breakthroughs can happen, but only when we choose to invest in them.
Evie
MBF Hero
Evie was only six months old when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Since then, she has faced five different treatment protocols with a resilience far beyond her years. Through it all, her joyful, funny personality continues to shine, fuelled by her family’s hope that ongoing research will give Evie the chance not just to survive, but to grow, dream, and thrive.
Jack
MBF Hero
Jack’s “battle scars” tell only a fraction of his story. From learning to walk during chemotherapy to carrying his Winnie the Pooh down a hospital hallway, he defied every expectation. His family remembers seeing Meagan’s Walk & Hug for the first time and thinking, “We could have used a hug like that” - a reminder of how much love and support children like Jack deserve. “Team Jack” was formed for the 2006 Meagan’s Walk & Hug, and since then, Jack’s family has participated almost every year.
Jadyn
MBF Hero
Despite years of surgeries, radiation, and clinical trials, Jadyn met every day with boldness and joy. She loved warm places, meeting celebrities, and speaking up for kids with brain tumours. Near the end of her life, she named her favourite superhero as “me, myself, and I” — a reminder of the extraordinary girl she was.
Jasper
MBF Hero
Jasper’s parents sensed something was wrong just days after he was born. By eight months old, a brain tumour was discovered, hidden behind an intracranial bleed - setting in motion surgeries, chemotherapy, and a childhood shaped by hospitals and waiting rooms. Today, ongoing MRIs remain part of his life, but so does joy.
The First Crane Ceremony
Kathleen, one of Meagan’s school friends, holds a photograph from the very first Crane Ceremony - more than twenty-five years later. On that day, children filled the schoolyard with origami cranes in every colour, woven into the fence and fluttering in the breeze, each one a gift of love for Meagan and the first true Circle of Hope. The origami crane, a universal symbol of hope, has since become a cherished tradition. Each year, thousands are lovingly folded and shared at MBF’s Crane Ceremony, carrying a powerful message to MBF Heroes and their families: you are supported, you are remembered, and you are not alone.
Lukas & Daniel
MBF Heroes
Daniel fought two forms of cancer before his fifth birthday - first retinoblastoma as an infant, and later pineoblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain cancer, facing surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and immense pain with courage, humor, and love. His light touched everyone around him, and even after his passing, that light lives on in his brother Lukas. Inspired by their bond, Lukas has turned grief into action, raising awareness and funds to help other children facing brain cancer - proving that hope and love can grow even from loss.
Maddie
MBF Hero
At just eight, Maddie turned her birthday into an act of giving - a reflection of the heart she carried into every part of her life. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) forced her through 30 rounds of radiation, yet she and her family held fiercely to their motto, “Live Every Moment,” creating memories that time could never erase. Her memory is a reminder that these children deserve more than hope - they deserve a fighting chance.
Massimo
MBF Hero
At just four months old, Massimo was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour already spreading through his tiny body. His parents were told that, only a few years earlier, his treatment would have been far more toxic and his chances far more uncertain. Thanks to research funded by Meagan Bebenek Foundation, Massimo received a personalized treatment plan that protected both his life and his future. Just weeks before his first birthday, he rang the bell - tumour‑free.
Meagan
MBF Hero
Just weeks before her fifth birthday, Meagan drew herself as a tiny angel watching over her parents, a symbol of love during her fight with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Even as her illness progressed, she spent her days making gifts for others. Her legacy lives on through Meagan Bebenek Foundation, supporting families facing childhood brain tumours.
Meagan's HUG - SickKids
Every Mother’s Day weekend, thousands come together for a 5 km walk that ends in a powerful human hug encircling The Hospital for Sick Children. As children and families watch from their windows, the crowd joins hands to surround them with strength, love, and hope. It’s a moment that reminds everyone inside that an entire community is holding them up.
Mia
MBF Hero
Mia’s journey began with a devastating diagnosis: a malignant brain tumour discovered when she was only one. Through surgery and months of chemotherapy, her mother Amy held on to hope wherever she could find it. Their first Meagan’s Walk & Hug reminded them they were not alone in this fight. Today, Mia thrives because an MBF‑supported medical trial offered her safer, more effective treatment at exactly the moment she needed it.
Milo
MBF Hero
Milo’s world changed the day an MRI revealed a pilocytic astrocytoma causing his brain stem to bleed. Surgery the very next day removed the tumour completely, allowing him to focus on regaining strength and mobility. At Meagan’s Walk & Hug, he discovered a community of kids who share his story and lift one another up. His mother credits MBF’s fundraising for the research that helped give Milo the care he needed to thrive.
Myah
MBF Hero
Despite a terminal diagnosis, Myah gifted her family more than three and a half years of love, courage, and unforgettable moments. As her illness progressed, her family cherished every word, every cuddle, and every sign of her enduring spirit. Her story underscores the urgent need for greater recognition and funding for childhood cancer.
Niko
MBF Hero
From age seven, Niko faced cancer with remarkable resilience, enduring years of treatment, remission, and return. Even after countless challenges, he chose optimism, telling his mom to “live life one day at a time and never, never give up.” His legacy is a reminder of courage lived fully, even in the hardest moments.
School Hug
Meagan Bebenek Foundation’s Kids Helping Kids program empowers students to make a real difference while learning about paediatric brain tumours. Rooted in Hope, Understanding, Gratitude, and Support (H.U.G.S.), it inspires young people to lead with empathy and take meaningful action. By nurturing optimism and emotional resilience, it helps shape a generation ready to uplift their communities.
Sherry Holmes
MBF Ambassador
What began as routine headaches led to the shocking discovery of a large brain tumour that required immediate surgery. Watching her hair fall to the floor before the operation made the diagnosis painfully real, but Sherry emerged from treatment healthy and determined to give back. As an MBF ambassador, she advocates for research that changes outcomes for families like hers. She also uses her platform on her family’s television series to support those in need, including helping rebuild the home of a fellow brain tumour survivor.
