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The Cure Starts Now's Tribute Funds

Hailey Acevedo's Tribute Page

Hailey Elizabeth Acevedo passed away on Friday, September 24, 2021, after bravely battling Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare pediatric brain cancer. 

She was a beautiful little lady who always knew what she wanted. She spent her time working through numerous daily dress and costume changes, dancing, playing in her playroom and on the playground, doing puzzles, shopping for dresses and stuffies, and taking blue Mustang rides to get cake pops.  She loved her family, arts and crafts, her virtual preschool class, Disney (especially Elsa, Frozen, and Minnie Mouse), dinosaurs, Daniel Tiger, Bluey, and her puppy Skye. Hailey’s curly hair was always the first thing everyone noticed about her, followed quickly by her big personality which earned her the nickname, “Princess Sassypants.”

Following her diagnosis in April 2020, her family relocated from Cameron, NC, to Huntsville, AL, to be closer to her medical teams leading the two clinical trials that she participated in. Those trials helped Hailey to defy the odds, feel well, and remain active for almost 18 months. During that period, she managed to move multiple times, visit Disney World twice, take numerous beach trips across Florida thanks to Make-a-Wish and Blue Skies Ministries, go camping throughout Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and visit her grandparents and family in Florida. She made many friends at three amazing hospitals—St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Huntsville, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite—along the way.

Throughout her cancer battle, Hailey maintained that she was never sick; she simply had a “boo boo” that her doctors and nurses were working hard to fix. She was mature beyond her years and taught us to “live like Hailey” and never take anything for granted. She was taken from us too soon, but will be in our hearts forever. 

"Hailey battled DIPG for 17 months. She never stopped fighting, even when her tumor was relentlessly trying to steal her ability to walk, talk, play, and swallow. We aren’t giving up either. Donations allow for more research to be done, which will one day lead to the cure for kids diagnosed with this horrific cancer." - The Acevedo Family

Thank you for choosing to donate to The Cure Starts Now Foundation. 100% of this donation, after credit card processing fees, goes directly towards research to find the homerun cure for cancer starting with pediatric brain cancer research.

If you would like to make a donation by mail please send a check to:  The Cure Starts Now Foundation; 10280 Chester Road; Cincinnati, OH 45215 and put the child's name in the memo.

The family receives notification of all donations made to this tribute fund automatically.

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