Cancer is devastating at any age. Can you imagine having to experience such an awful disease at the age of three? Around this age, Greyson Banovich started having excruciating pain in his lower back. Neither he nor his family could understand.

Finally, when it became disruptive in school, the Banoviches realized the pain was severe and needed attention as soon as possible.  

Thankfully, Greyson’s cancer was deemed treatable through surgery. His recovery only required a short hospital stay post-treatment. To help lift Greyson’s spirits while in recovery, the nurses at his treatment facility would throw him glow stick parties.

This tradition continued Saturday night, October 22, 2022, at NFCR’s Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship. NFCR Board Member Lance Kawaguchi brought Greyson and his Mother, Katie, on stage to talk about their experience with cancer.

That’s when Kawaguchi encouraged guests of the Summit to pull out their glow sticks and wave them around in Greyson’s honor. The 6-year-old, who can now live a relatively normal life, was overjoyed with the lights. Greyson even gathered as many glow sticks as he could hold to take back with him as the night wrapped.

The National Foundation for Cancer Research is grateful to the Banovich Family for attending this special event, sharing their story with us, and reminding us why funding cancer research is so critical.

“Greyson’s story is a story of triumph. That isn’t always the case with cancer, but it is becoming the case more and more thanks to research.” – Katie Banovich, Cancer Advocate and Mother of Greyson.

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RECAP – NFCR’s Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship 2022