Children's Cancer Association

JoyRx Music - Since 1995, JoyRx Music, our flagship program, has drawn on the universal power of music to help hospitalized children feel better even during life's most challenging moments. Our highly trained JoyRx Music Specialists engage children of all ages and diagnoses, allowing them to choose the musical experience that best suits their current emotional place, desired mood, and engagement level. Whether it be engaging in person (Bedside Live), interacting virtually (Digital Live), or accessing exclusive music performances at any time on CCTV and YouTube (On Demand), our program reaches children where they are - and makes their tough days a little brighter.

JoyRx Mentorship - JoyRx Mentorship fosters trusted companionship to inspire friendship and distraction during an isolating time. Our trained, adult volunteer JoyRx Mentors provide emotional support to children in treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses, and they offer critical support to parents who endure the hardships of hospital stays with their child.In the hospital, our mentors arrive with bags full of toys, games, and activities to help their young friends laugh and smile. Their friendship helps kids just be who they are - appealing to their interests and personal preferences. Continued on schedule O.With their mentor, they can play games, watch movies, do arts and crafts, or whatever activity they want to help pass the time in the hospital. For parents, these visits offer a brief respite, allowing a moment for themselves - they can take a walk, grab some coffee, spend time with their other children, or take an opportunity to step away and breathe. Mentorship matches can last multiple years, and often the bonds of friendship are still strong long after the final treatment.Since 1999, the program has matched more than 1,600 kids undergoing lengthy treatment regimens with a trained and trusted adult mentor volunteer.While hospital COVID-19 protocols were still in place, the award-winning JoyRx Mentorship program facilitated virtual matches to provide young patients with a caring and trusted adult mentor during treatment. Virtual matches met via video chat to give kids additional support and companionship during hospital appointments, inpatient stays, or while isolating at home.In November 2022, we resumed in-person matches with the easing of hospital restrictions and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, our mission has been to return to triple-digit matches once again as we rebuild this program.In April 2024, we reached a major milestone: over 100 active mentorship matches.

Community Outreach, Education and Resources - In addition to our core program offerings, JoyRx is proud to provide comprehensive resources and information to families facing the profound trauma of a pediatric cancer diagnosis.JoyRx Kids' Cancer Pages is the first-ever national resource directory on childhood cancer and was recognized by the National Cancer Institute as "the most comprehensive guide for families currently available". Now in its fifth edition, this vital support tool is sent free-of-charge charge to every pediatric hospital in the country. A searchable PDF is also available on our website. Continued on schedule O.Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization: they mentor children, share their musical talents, staff community events, host toy drives, and serve on our leadership boards.JoyRx volunteers make a powerful difference in the lives of children in need. In return, they find their own life changed by the extraordinary spirit of these courageous kids.

JoyRx Nature - JoyRx Nature provides an essential connection to the natural world. Nestled in 24 acres of surrounding woods with plentiful wildlife and a serene lake, JoyRx Nature's Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin at the Oregon Coast provides children in treatment and their extended families with a place of peace in a calming environment. The Caring Cabin is an extraordinary destination for families to relax, explore, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories. Designed with the needs of seriously ill children in mind, the Caring Cabin lends a much-needed mental break to recharge during or after treatment. This no-cost, five-day retreat restores energy and provides respite for families battling pediatric illness.

Science of Joy - This year, JoyRx worked hard on an initiative to establish strong evidence-based practices to determine the qualitative impact of JoyRx programming. We engaged staff, board, and hospital leaders in this effort, laying the groundwork to determine the impact of our JoyRx programs beyond the anecdotal or self-reported. Our goal is to go deeper, getting to the place where we can not only report the number of kids we're reaching, but also, eventually, quantitatively highlight how and to what extent we are improving the emotional and mental well-being of the kids and families we serve.