In November 2022, our world was turned upside down when our 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. As a military family stationed far from home, living in Maryland with no close connections, the news was devastating.

The challenge of raising a toddler and a newborn was overwhelming enough on its own. Adding a cancer diagnosis into the mix was unimaginable.

But amidst the fear and uncertainty, something incredible happened—our military community rallied around us in a way we never expected. From meal trains and care packages to hospital visits and unwavering support, this community became our lifeline. They understood the unique challenges of military life: being far from family, facing hardships without constant support, and needing one another in moments of crisis. These are our people.

Through this network, we were introduced to many pediatric cancer organizations that support families like ours. In May 2023, we discovered the Oliver Patch Project (OPP)—a nonprofit founded by another pediatric cancer family. We signed Olivia up for a custom patch tote, and it quickly became a symbol of her strength and courage. Her tote came everywhere with us, serving almost like a shield—representing every battle she faced.

Olivia's journey was nothing short of heroic and in August 2023, Olivia got to ring the bell—a major milestone signifying the end of her active treatment. OPP celebrated with us, sending Olivia a special “Ring the Bell” patch. Her tote now told the complete story… or so we thought.

A month later, during Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, our family attended CureFest in Washington, D.C. There, we had the joy of meeting the OPP team in person. It was an emotional and inspiring moment. Katelynn (Olivia’s mom) and Brian (Oliver’s dad) connected immediately, sharing stories, visions, and ideas.

When we shared that most of our support had come from our military family, a new idea was born: What if we could collect patches from real American warriors—our military heroes—and gift them to Pediatric Cancer Warriors?

And just like that, the Warrior to Warrior Project was born.

Now, in partnership with Oliver Patch Project, we are proud to launch this initiative. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to connect military heroes with young cancer fighters through symbolic patches of courage, strength, and unity.