From Heartbreak to Haven
Cancer Foundation Creates Community for Families
Writer Joseph J. Airdo // With Reporting by Christina Fuoco-Karasinski // Photography by Keri Meyers
When Chrisie Abramo’s daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma at 18 months old, the aggressive pediatric cancer launched the family on a 3 1/2-year odyssey across the United States seeking the best care.
“During that time, Ava endured more toxic treatments than most adult cancer patients,” Abramo recalls. “Due to the extreme nature of her treatments, her teeth slowly disintegrated, her hair was gone, and eventually her kidneys failed.”
Exhausted from the relentless battle, 5-year-old Ava told her mother she didn’t want to fight anymore. Two days later, she died.
“In her final days, my family and I watched as her fragile body shut down,” Abramo says. “She looked at me and said, ‘Mommy, I don’t want to feel like this anymore.’”
That profound loss became the catalyst for the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children. Nearly a decade after Images Arizona first featured Abramo’s journey in 2015, the Scottsdale-based nonprofit has evolved from a home-based operation into a comprehensive 12,000-square-foot facility that has become a lifeline for Arizona families navigating pediatric cancer.
“I will do whatever it takes to support these families,” says Abramo, who serves as president and founder.
From Living Room to Legacy
When Images Arizona last visited ACFC, Abramo was working from her home with more than 100 volunteers, having served 200 families since the foundation’s 2014 launch. The organization had just moved into a Scottsdale office and was preparing for its third annual fundraising gala, hoping to raise $150,000.
The growth since then has been remarkable. Since 2014, ACFC has served 10,000 individuals. In September 2022, the foundation moved into a 12,000-square-foot facility that Abramo calls “a home away from home” for families in crisis.
“Parents always joke that the kids would live here if they could,” she says. “We make it about the whole family. We have a respite room for the parents and caregivers.”
The foundation now operates from a sprawling facility that houses an Imagination Station play area, a teen center with gaming consoles and lounge seating, a Paint Splatter Room where families unleash creativity, an art studio for therapeutic expression and Baxter’s Kitchen — a full dining space that seats 40 and sends families home with premade meals.
Three Pillars of Support
ACFC’s mission rests on three pillars: social, emotional and financial support. Each addresses the devastating isolation that accompanies a pediatric cancer diagnosis.
The social pillar includes birthday parties for cancer warriors, end-of-treatment celebrations with music and entertainment, and special events throughout the year. The foundation’s toy store — filled with games, books and even bicycles — allows children to choose items that bring them joy during treatment.
“Everyone loves the boutique, a place where kids with cancer can be kids,” says Jen Mackay, board of directors member and longtime supporter whose husband, Jim “Bones” Mackay, caddies for professional golfer Phil Mickelson. “Most of our families never get to experience anything like this. It’s pure sunshine.”
The Education Center provides tutoring and school reintegration support for patients and their siblings — addressing a need Abramo knows intimately.
“No one ever looked at me or my son and said, ‘How are you feeling?’” she says, reflecting on her experience as Ava’s mother and a sibling caregiver.
Emotional support includes counseling from licensed mental health professionals, a K9 therapy program featuring Leo — ACFC’s in-house therapy dog — and volunteer therapy dogs, and a Calming and Respite Room equipped with state-of-the-art massage chairs where exhausted parents can find moments of peace.
“We wanted to create a place where families could come and have all the programs and services in one location,” Abramo says. “We offer counseling services offsite now but plan to bring them onsite next year.”
The Wellness Program offers sound bowl therapy, meditation, yoga and wellness events promoting holistic healing for the entire family.
Financial assistance remains a cornerstone of ACFC’s work. The foundation provides direct support ranging from $500 to $2,000 per family, helping cover medical bills, rent, groceries and transportation costs. A well-stocked pantry offers household essentials and toiletries, alleviating financial burdens during treatment.
The foundation also provides end-of-life financial support, covering medical and funeral expenses during families’ darkest hours.
“Life doesn’t stop when you receive a cancer diagnosis,” says Maria, mother to a cancer warrior named MJ. “Having financial assistance from ACFC made a huge difference in just being able to live with integrity. With the help of ACFC, we didn’t have to put up our house for sale.”
Community Champions
ACFC’s growth reflects the North Scottsdale community’s philanthropic spirit. Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Jim Mackay have served as honorary chairs for the foundation’s signature fundraising events, lending their celebrity to amplify the cause.
At the foundation’s annual Ava’s Tree House Gala on Dec. 5, Goldschmidt and his wife, Amy, demonstrated their continued commitment by pledging $100,000 as a matching gift to encourage 10 donors to contribute $10,000 each. The gala drew 350 attendees and featured a performance by an ACFC children’s choir — cancer warriors themselves singing to celebrate hope and resilience.
“When Ava was diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, it was a shock to our family,” Jim Mackay told Images Arizona in 2016. The Mackays were neighbors with the Abramos during Ava’s battle. “Since we were neighbors at the time, we immediately became involved. Our kids were friends with Ava and her siblings, and we were there every step of the way.”
The Mackay children launched Ava’s Angels, a youth philanthropy program dedicated to supporting children with pediatric cancer — ensuring Ava’s legacy continues through the next generation.
The foundation hosts Ava’s Tree House Gala and a golf tournament as its primary fundraising events. About 50% of ACFC’s budget comes from the two fundraisers, with the remaining 50% from foundations, grants, individual donors and tax-credit donations.
A Forever Family
What distinguishes ACFC is its commitment beyond treatment. The foundation provides end-of-treatment services and ongoing support, ensuring families don’t vanish into the void Abramo experienced when Ava died.
“That family becomes a part of our family, forever,” she says. “They’re invited to come to our community events. They can always shop in our pantry, our clothing market. Many families come back and become part of our community, which is unique. When my daughter passed away, we didn’t have anyone because the hospital went away, and I didn’t know what to do. I never want anyone to feel like that after their child passes away.”
Visitors to ACFC are greeted by volunteers and welcomed with personalized signs bearing the family’s name — a simple gesture that signals they matter.
“We welcome grandparents, whomever they want to bring,” Abramo says. “We want everyone to be seen and heard and cared for.”
Abramo and her team have visited children in their last days, offering presence when words fail.
“When we offer financial assistance to families who need to repair a car, pay rent or provide for funeral services, I feel deeply gratified to be a part of this organization,” says Ben Hayes, president of Freestone Insurance Group and ACFC board member.
Looking Ahead
Since its founding more than a decade ago, ACFC has maintained its trajectory of growth and impact.
“We are on track to keep growing,” Abramo says. “Our long-term vision is to help every child in Arizona who is diagnosed with cancer. We want to be a part of their journey.”
The foundation plans to expand its Education Center programming and continue enhancing its facility to better serve families.
In Arizona, nearly one child per day receives a cancer diagnosis — about 350 families annually confronting an unimaginable reality. For those families, ACFC offers not just financial assistance or emotional support, but community, dignity and hope.
“One of the greatest gifts Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children brings to families is creating community among those who are going through the same nightmare,” says Bill Finch, ACFC board member. “It’s important to give them a place where they can be together and interact.”
The Minnesota native remains humbled by what she has built in her daughter’s memory.
“Being available to the family and the child is really heartwarming and really nice,” she says. “I have to pinch myself every day.”
For Abramo, the foundation represents not just Ava’s legacy but a promise: that no family will walk the devastating path of pediatric cancer alone, and that every child — even in their darkest hour — will be seen, heard and cared for.