Fight On Makenna Foundation
Helping kids and families facing pediatric cancer.
Makenna’s Story
“In 2018, The Fight On Makenna Foundation was established to honor the memory of our 14 year old daughter Makenna and carry on her strength and fighting spirit to help kids and families facing pediatric cancer.”
Makenna Ann Massi was a 14-year-old young woman who gained her wings on September 27th, 2018, after a 9-month battle fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Makenna was all about the color purple, scary movies, spicy food, and chocolate cake. She was the biggest and truest fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, her golden doodle Santino was her constant companion. She had a passion for Tae Kwon Do, earning her a first-degree black belt. Makenna believed in the power of laughter and the strength of family and that one day, we would find a cure for childhood cancer.
In the Spring of 2014, Makenna was diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumor (kidney cancer). She fought and beat it after a 9-month treatment plan consisting of chemotherapy and radiation, and in January 2015, she was declared cancer-free.
On December 12, 2017 (as she was approaching the 3-year milestone of being cancer-free), we were contacted by Makenna’s oncologists following an unrelated doctor’s appointment. Blood work had shown abnormalities in her platelet count, and on December 13th, 2017, it was confirmed that Makenna had developed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Further tests revealed that this AML was a secondary cancer caused by her treatments in 2014.
Makenna embarked on an extended inpatient treatment plan – including the need for a bone marrow transplant – to cure the AML. After two rounds of chemotherapy, Makenna’s AML was in remission, and on March 28th, 2018, Makenna received a bone marrow transplant from her older sister Kayla, who was a perfect match.
Everything was going according to plan. Makenna returned home on May 23rd, 2018, after 100 nights at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHoP), and was making significant progress through June. The week before the July 4th holiday, Makenna developed complications with her breathing and was put on supplemental oxygen.
The following three months would be marked with numerous admissions to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at CHoP. The intensity of her treatment had damaged Makenna’s heart and lungs, and she had developed Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). All the doctor’s attempts to treat the PH were unsuccessful, and Makenna’s oxygen needs to be kept increasing until, eventually, her body had given up. On September 27, 2018, we said goodbye to our angel.
Through both cancer journeys, Makenna did everything that was asked by her doctors and never complained. She never stopped fighting, but most importantly, she never stopped smiling. Makenna was an amazing young woman.
#FightOnMakenna
#Makenna4EverWhat We Do
Parking costs can add up for families of patients spending weeks in the hospital. We help to reduce those costs by providing parking vouchers for both inpatient and outpatient visits.
On average, we:
Distribute over 1,900 parking passes/vouchers to families each year
Assist over 600 patient families minimize out of pocket treatment related expenses each year
Providing fitness equipment on the oncology floor at CHOP enables therapists to help patients improve endurance and conditioning during long inpatient hospitalizations, leading to better overall health.
Provided 6 pieces of equipment (2 bicycles, 1 elliptical, 1 treadmill, and 2 benches)
Over 45 patients enrolled in the Movement as Medicine Program with approximately 500 individual movements logged (as of August 2023)
Nutrition is a critical component of treatment. Our mobile cooking cart allows medical chef educators and oncology dieticians to educate patients and their families about proper nutrition for healing through interactive cooking demonstrations.
Cooking demos hosted monthly at CHOP
All recipes are available online
Approx. 120-185 patient families annually
Food Pharmacy providing essential dry goods