Cancer Kids First
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The world’s largest youth-led cancer nonprofit normalizing the hospital environment and providing a loving community for kids with cancer. 🎗️
06/02/2026
This past weekend, Cancer Kids First hosted our very first conference, themed YOUth Can Change the World—and what a powerful beginning it was. 🌎🕊️🎗️
Over two days, ~100 young changemakers from across the United States and around the world, including Romania, Ukraine, and the Philippines, came together to learn, connect, and explore what it means to create impact. Attendees were challenged to think bigger about the change they can create in their communities and beyond, aligning with our nonprofit’s belief that young people have the power to lead, serve, and shape the future.
What made this conference special was that service was ingrained not only into the speaker topics but also into the activities. On May 30th, participants gathered at Columbia to listen to a Women Breaking Barriers panel—featuring all women of color, fireside chats on environmental justice and global health leadership, and more. On May 31st, workshops were organized at the Harlem State Office Building to engage students in forward-thinking activities with themes like “How to Build a Nonprofit from the Ground Up” (ft. ) and “Confidence and Positivity” (ft. ). In between panels, attendees created cards for kids with cancer under our Arts program. Simultaneously, CKF raised funds to create care packages for patients at and . We closed off with a networking brunch for speakers and attendees, designed to ensure long-lasting relationships were the biggest takeaway.
Thank you to our incredible team, speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees for helping bring this vision to life. Your willingness to share your experiences, ideas, and encouragement made this weekend truly special. Thank you to for partnering with us to make this event successful!
This was our first YOUth Can Change the World Conference, but it certainly won’t be our last. ✨
Six years ago, Cancer Kids First started with one teenager, one laptop, and one goal: making sure no child fights cancer alone.
At 14 years old, our founder Olivia Zhang began creating cards and care packages for pediatric cancer patients from her bedroom. Today, Cancer Kids First has grown into the world’s largest youth-led cancer nonprofit, with 43,000+ volunteers across 80 countries supporting thousands of children and families through treatment, creativity, and human connection. 💛
From hospital art programs and patient mentorship to treatment support and global volunteer initiatives, every part of our mission is built around one belief: young people have the power to create real change.
But there’s still so much more to do.
If you’re a pediatric cancer patient or family looking for support, we’d love for you to join our programs.
If you want to make a difference, we’re always looking for volunteers, donors, and partners to help us reach even more children around the world.
Because no child should face cancer alone—and no young person is too young to change the world. 🌎🎗️
Apply, volunteer, or support our mission at cancerkidsfirst.org
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Merrifield, VA
