Pediatric cancer steals so much promise from our children: the promise of milestones, the promise of hope, the promise of innocence, and in the case of Aaliyah Beckles, the promise of a future cancer researcher.

On December 23, 2022, we lost an inspiring young woman with a fierce drive to become a cancer researcher, to help those with the disease that ultimately took her life. Aaliyah Beckles, 19, died from Stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma.

Her journey had only just begun with a full scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, but by the time she started, she was in the middle of an 18-month period of misdiagnosis by eight different doctors, with an unimaginable battle of excruciating pain and unhelpful treatments. Aaliyah was ultimately diagnosed with cancer at Georgetown University Hospital in the fall of 2021.

If you had the pleasure of knowing Aaliyah, you would instantly be drawn to her. She was wise beyond her years, practical with her wisdom, inspirational with her outlook, and loving without judgment. She loved her family fiercely and was determined not to let cancer define her. Her story is shared on the CCF website. Aaliyah shared her heartbreaking story at the 2022 Research Symposium.

Aaliyah left this world asking her mother to see her way forward to achieve two things: to continue their commitment to community service and helping those in need, and to increase awareness of the importance of early diagnosis of pediatric and adolescent cancer.

Shortly after Aaliyah’s passing, her family, including her mother, Louneta Beckles, started a program called “Alive for Aaliyah.” The church that Aaliyah grew up in immediately began to raise money in Aaliyah’s memory. The family started a scholarship in 2023 and continued in 2024 to the Valedictorian of the graduating class of Oxon Hill in honor of Aaliyah. Last November, they held a clothing drive and this past March of 2024 a canned food drive, all done
in partnership with Covenant House in D.C. To this day, “Alive for Aaliyah” makes and delivers hot food to families in need.

Recently, Louneta reached out to CCF with a plan to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. We were incredibly touched and gladly offered to help. Now through September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, there is a special fundraising campaign in honor of Aaliyah.

Aaliyah’s sister, Ramiyah Beckles, created a beautiful video in loving tribute to her sister, capturing Aaliyah’s determination to become an oncologist.

CCF is thrilled to announce that every dollar donated during this campaign will be matched up to $10,000 by an anonymous donor! Each donation will go twice as far to advance desperately underfunded pediatric cancer research.

How to donate to the Alive for Aaliyah campaign:

Visit the CCF Donate page, select “Yes” when asked “Dedicate this donation?”  Select “In memory of:” and enter “Aaliyah Beckles”

or to pay by check, payable to The Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc., send to CCF at the address below.

One of Aaliyah’s treating physicians expressed the sentiment that I believe reflects the love we all had for Aaliyah, noting that her “spirit was uplifting. Her death was particularly hard for me as an individual.”

Aaliyah continues to inspire, motivate and push CCF to do more. We cannot stop until a cure is found.

With profound appreciation,

Tasha

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