Few things in this world are as harrowing, sobering, and confronting as childhood cancer. And to be a child, or know a child, who has battled cancer is to know the true depths of those harrowing, sobering, and confronting feelings.
Simultaneously, to know a child with cancer serves as a reminder that true strength and perseverance can come in the most innocent and unsuspecting of packages, lending the kind of perspective that has a way of moving all of us to reconsider and re-prioritize the things that are truly important in life.
Recently, Carvana had the privilege of being reminded of that strength and perseverance through its partnership with Phoenix Children’s Hospital during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. It was here that we were introduced to a courageous kid named Raymundo; a 12-year-old boy who – alongside his family – has fought and survived his bout with leukemia, despite enduring a relapse of the disease. Thankfully, after receiving treatment at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Raymundo’s leukemia went into remission, as he’s now been living cancer-free for several years.
“[Raymundo] never gave up,” said Dana Salzberg, a doctor at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “His cancer kept on coming back, but he had a spirit, and a will, and a fight…I think what his whole journey tells the community is that these children are fighters, and that there are options, and that Phoenix Children’s is an amazing hospital.”
After learning of Raymundo and his family’s battle with cancer, Carvana, along with our friends at the Phoenix Rising, decided to come together to show our support and appreciation for Raymundo’s inspiring story. Upon receiving an invitation to attend a Rising game, Raymundo and his family were provided a personal tour of the Rising locker room, granted a special meeting with Rising head coach Rick Schantz and select players, as well as choice seats in the Carvana Corner.
All of that, however, was a prelude to the big moment that came later in the evening.
After presenting Raymundo and his family with a check for $5,000, Carvana and the Rising had one more surprise up their sleeve. During halftime, Raymundo and his family were brought onto the field where they watched a video and discovered that they would also be taking home a vehicle of their choice courtesy of Carvana!
“To see the smiles on everyone’s face when we score that goal, or win that game, or raise a trophy, those are memories that people will remember for the rest of their life,” said Rising general manager Bobby Dulle. “And hopefully this is a moment for Raymundo and his family that they’ll never forget.”
It’s certainly a moment we’ll never forget, as we couldn’t have been happier to team with the Rising to show how much we were inspired by not only Raymundo’s battle, but the battles being fought by so many brave kids and their families when it comes to defeating childhood cancer. For a closer look at Raymundo’s special night, check out the video below!
