September is National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, a time to recognize what families face when a child is diagnosed with cancer—and to honor the strength, resilience, and love that carry them through.

For Kara Eatmon and her family, everything shifted unexpectedly in January 2025.

Kara, a JCPS middle school teacher, and her husband Adrian, who works for Ford, live in Jeffersontown with their four children: Adrian Jr., (18), Zoey (10), and twins Kinzey and Kingston (8).

Adrian Jr., a recent high school graduate and former J-town football player, is beginning college and working while training for the Louisville fire academy. Zoey is a competitive soccer player who also loves swimming, crafts, skincare, and TikTok dances. Kinzey loves Roblox, Minecraft, Barbies, beauty, fancy dresses, and all that sparkles. Her twin brother, Kingston, loves Legos, acting, parks, trampolines, rollercoasters, and water parks.

What Happens When a Child is Diagnosed with Cancer?

“You never think it can happen to you until it does,” Kara said. “I have dedicated my life to teaching and taking care of others but quickly found out cancer does not discriminate.”

Kingston was just 6 when he went from having strep throat in November 2024 to being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in January 2025.

“I remember receiving the call in my classroom and felt like the walls were closing in on me.”

“How? Why? Is he going to survive? What about his hair? Can I work? How do I tell my other children? How will he navigate this alongside the many needs that come with his autism?”

Kara describes those first moments after receiving Kingston’s diagnosis with raw honesty.

“I howled, I cried, I took deep breaths, and by that following Monday we were thrown into a fast-acting plan of treatment.”

As Kingston began treatment, Kara and her husband Adrian focused on the priority every parent in their situation understands: doing everything possible to help their child get through cancer and have the best chance at a healthy, happy life.

But they quickly realized a fundamental truth: cancer affects the entire family.

How Does Gilda’s Club Support Siblings of Children with Cancer?

Kara worried deeply about her daughters. How could she help them understand what was happening while preserving as much normalcy as possible? How could she ensure they felt loved, seen, and supported when so much of the family’s attention necessarily centered on Kingston’s treatment?

“For a long time, I never used the word ‘cancer’ with my daughters. I wanted to protect them and their emotions for as long as possible.”

Then, during an appointment at Norton Children’s Hospital, Kara looked up and saw a flyer for Camp Gilda, a program specifically designed for children with cancer and their siblings. She signed Zoey and Kinzey up immediately.

“My biggest goal, besides getting Kingston through this, was keeping life as close to ‘normal’ as possible for my daughters.”

“I did not want life to stop for them, and I was hoping Gilda’s Club could be the place to help them understand cancer, to be around others in similar situations, and to know that cancer doesn’t mean a death sentence. More than anything, I wanted support from a place that pours out love as soon as you walk in the door.”

Finding Love, Hope, and Community at Gilda’s Club

From Kara’s first contact with Devon Wasser, Director of Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana’s Youth & Families Program, she knew her family had found something special.

“From the moment I had contact with Devon, I knew this place would change our life. From Camp Gilda, to free parties and activities, and even holiday gift-giving assistance, Gilda’s Club quickly became the extended family that I didn’t know we needed.”

The Power of Camp Gilda and Peer Connection

Over two summers, Zoey and Kinzey attended Camp Gilda, where they made friends, shared their experiences, and enjoyed hanging out with other kids in a safe, light-hearted environment.

“As a parent, my tears filled with happy tears to see my girls have the time of their life at Camp Gilda,” Kara said.

The girls enjoyed field trips, art, music, movement classes, and interacting with counselors and volunteers. They also shared their own Cancer Connection stories, helping them realize they were not alone.

“They brought a picture of their brother Kingston and were so proud to show him off.”

For two summers, their verdict has remained the same:  “Camp Gilda was their favorite summer memory.”

Beyond camp, the girls attended Gilda’s Club’s annual Holiday Party, where they took pictures with Santa. Through monthly Youth Deliveries, they received crafts and activities curated by Devon and delivered to their home by volunteers.

And then there was the Fashion Show.

“They talked for days about their fancy dresses, makeup, and selecting their song to ‘walk’ the runway. They even made the tote bag accessory themselves. Talk about feeling special!”

While his sisters were connecting through camp, Kingston found his own safe haven in Noogieland – the colorful indoor play space at the Gilda’s Grinstead clubhouse.

Ringing the Bell: Moving into Remission Together

After months of treatment, the moment the family had prayed for arrived. Kingston rang the bell at Norton Children’s Hospital, signaling the end of his cancer treatment.

“Kingston rang that bell, loudly proclaiming he had finished treatment. He is now in remission. We are so thankful!”

Does Support Continue After Pediatric Cancer Treatment Ends?

Gilda’s Club’s Free Program of Cancer Support does not end when active treatment stops. The Eatmon family remains an active part of the Gilda’s Club community.

“Even after Kingston rang the bell, Gilda’s has remained an ongoing source of support. They do not close the door on you when treatment ends.”

One of Kara’s strongest  memories comes from Christmas during Kingston’s treatment. Exhausted and worried about making the holidays special, she reached out for help.

“Gilda’s to the rescue! I submitted a wish list and they delivered!”

“The amount of relief I felt on Christmas morning was something I will never forget. My chest suddenly felt less heavy. The magic Gilda’s created at Christmas continues to leave a lasting impact on us all year round.”

That wrap-around community support allowed Kara to focus on her family’s healing.

“As a mother, I feel the daily obligation that I can – and will – handle it all, but thanks to Gilda’s I was able to put my focus on getting Kingston safely through treatment and into remission.”

A Message for Parents Facing a Child’s Cancer Diagnosis

Today, Kara sees the impact of Gilda’s Club’s community support not only in the practical help her family received, but in the emotional strength it provided.

“Every person I have come in contact with at Gilda’s genuinely cares. Not just saying ‘how are you?’ but really meaning it.”

“The support we received from Gilda’s Club allowed us to focus more on our child and getting through each day instead of feeling like we had to carry everything on our own.”

During months filled with uncertainty, fear, exhaustion, treatment, scans, hair loss, neurodivergence, work, and family responsibilities, Gilda’s Club gave the Eatmon family a place where they did not have to carry everything alone.

Her advice to other families is clear and reassuring:  “It is okay to ask for help. Taking that first step through Gilda’s Club’s doors, or scanning a QR code like I did, can be a way of giving your children a safe place to feel seen, supported, and understood.”

“You don’t have to have all the answers, and you don’t have to navigate this experience alone. Sometimes accepting support is one of the strongest things we can do for our family.”

Cancer changed the Eatmon family’s life. But it did not take away their ability to find joy, connection, hope, and ordinary childhood moments along the way.

Kara’s experience is a reminder that when one child has cancer, the whole family needs care. Sometimes that care looks like Camp Gilda. Sometimes it is a holiday celebration, a craft delivered to the front door, or a welcoming place where children can simply be themselves.

Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana exists so no one faces cancer alone.