When the American Thyroid Association wanted to develop guidelines to better treat thyroid cancer in children, they looked to a doctor in Richmond. Gary Francis, M.D., Ph.D., with VCU Massey Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, lead international experts in developing treatment protocols that were better suited for the youngest cancer patients – our heroes. “The course of treatment recommended for an adult may not be appropriate for a child with the same symptoms,” says Francis, member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at Massey, endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and professor and chief in the Pediatrics Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the VCU School of Medicine.

At Connor’s Heroes, we are excited about research that is specifically for childhood cancer. It’s why we have The Connor’s Heroes Pediatric Cancer Research Fund. It is the only fund at VCU Massey Cancer Center focused on childhood cancer. Two of our heroes, Vincent and Olivia, have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Pictured is Olivia from 2011. Olivia was one of our heroes celebrated at the Heroes Art Ball that year.