Stories of Hope

For Bran, “Keep Pounding” is more than a mantra. It’s something he has embodied throughout every step of his cancer journey.  Diagnosed in March 2024 with a rare form of Stage 3 extrarenal nephroblastoma, or Wilms tumor, that had developed outside his kidney, Bran’s treatment journey at Atrium Health Levine Children’s was complex from the very beginning. He started chemotherapy...

In February 2026, Tara Caveny first noticed something different about her son. True, then 4, appeared thinner as his appetite decreased; he seemed sensitive on the left side of his mouth, and soon, he was sleeping more than usual.  They sought medical care, visiting doctors and emergency departments to understand what was happening. Eventually, True could no longer make it through a school day without wanting to sleep. Then Tara noticed his left eye didn’t look aligned with...

For several years, while receiving care in Myrtle Beach, Dave Dougan watched his blood counts steadily decline without a clear explanation. He began tracking his own lab results, concerned that something more serious was going on.  “I asked the hematologist if I had leukemia,” Dave recalled. “He assured me I didn’t.” By early 2025, Dave’s hemoglobin had dropped significantly, prompting further treatment, including...

When Emily Kellogg felt a lump in her breast, she immediately scheduled an appointment with her gynecologist. Within days, a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy confirmed she had breast cancer. As she began processing the news, additional scans revealed a spot on her liver, confirming that the cancer had spread. At just 27 years old, Emily was now facing stage 4...

Recently retired as CEO of Barings, Tom Finke was planning new business ventures, traveling with family, and staying deeply engaged in the community as co-chair of Atrium Health Foundation’s Giving Hope campaign. The last thing on his mind was a health scare. In walked a huge dose of reality at his routine physical when his doctor expressed concern over his...

Shortly before her first birthday, Ellie experienced her first seizure while on vacation. Within a week, she was taken to two hospitals before being airlifted to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, N.C. After a series of tests, Ellie was diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological disorder that affects nerve cells in the central nervous system and can cause recurrent seizures, including loss of...

Mike Thompson was a believer in people and in possibilities. “And with Mike,” says his wife, Michelle, “if he believed, you just believed it too. With all of your heart and soul.” That belief carried him through three years of treatment for stage 4 colorectal cancer, and it continues to inspire his family today. Known for his kindness, humor, and...

When given a second chance at a healthy childhood, Laila Charleston found a special form of healing in helping kids and teens fighting cancer at Levine Children’s and Levine Cancer Institute. Learn more:...

Earlier this summer, fraternity brothers from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) chapter at Western Carolina University presented a check for over $4,300 to members of Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute’s orthopedic oncology care team. The donation will benefit the Marroum-Kardous Orthopaedic Oncology Fund established at Atrium Health Foundation to advance the research and treatment of sarcomas—a rare group of cancers...

Until her early forties, Sandra Goldman led a relatively normal and healthy life as a wife, mother of four, and working professional. It was during a routine screening mammogram at the age of 42 that she would begin a 10-year battle with breast cancer and, in the process, become a champion for women battling the disease. In 2010, Sandra was...

Charlie Reedy was born on March 30, 2020 at 33 weeks, weighing only 4 lbs. 15 oz. He had breathing issues at first and spent his first five days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Levine Children’s Hospital, followed by an extended stay in the Neonatal Progressive Care Nursery (NPCN) to monitor his breathing, red blood counts, and...

To support patients like Dale, contribute to the Carolinas Ovarian Cancer Fund through the Stiletto Sprint, September 14, at TealHeels.org....