Mission

Connecting Champions is a mentoring nonprofit for kids with cancer, centered around the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

What We Do

Whatever our kids want to be -- a ballerina, a train conductor, a video game designer, a ghosthunter, and so many others -- we find a local role model who can be a friend throughout the cancer journey.

Everything we do is research-based and outcomes-driven, built to help kids reach the developmental milestones they should be reaching had they not been so sick. We're adding a child development approach to healthcare, and we're making waves in the field of pediatric oncology. In 2019, we're preparing for national expansion.

Our friendships help families cope better, young ones make their first friends, and teens overcome depression during the cancer journey. Through our historic partnership with UPMC Children's Hospital, 90% of newly diagnosed children in our region are referred to Connecting Champions and we've paired kids with 34 different professions.