Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

Diagnosed At 11 And He’s CHANGING Cancer Research

Sam Taylor was just 11 years old when he went to the emergency room for an MRI and received a devastating diagnosis: a low grade optic glioma, a brain tumor in the optic pathway that accounts for only five percent of all childhood brain tumors. The surgeon initially planned to remove the tumor, but once they went in they realized it sat right behind his optic nerve, meaning removal could cause permanent blindness and the tumor was declared inoperable. Taylor spent his entire high school experience unable to play contact sports like football and lacrosse because of the tube in his head, a constant reminder that he wasn’t like every other teenager despite trying to live a fairly normal life. When his treatment caused two severe allergic reactions that could have been fatal, doctors stopped his treatment plan abruptly and decided to monitor the tumor instead, hoping it would stop growing when he reached his twenties.

Unfortunately, the tumor has not stopped growing like doctors predicted, and now at 22 years old Taylor faces the mental battle of living with an inoperable brain tumor while also making incredible changes in his community. As a family, the Taylors decided right after diagnosis that they wanted to do something to help other families traumatized by a cancer diagnosis, founding the nonprofit Strong4Sam that has now raised nearly 1.2 million dollars for childhood cancer research. The remarkable part is that the money doesn’t go toward research for Taylor’s own diagnosis but instead supports people with more severe tumors and cancers that are less researched and harder to cure, focusing on finding new, less toxic types of treatment. Taylor recently started sharing his health journey on TikTok to help even more people, admitting that the mental battle at 22 has been astronomical compared to being 11, but his mission to change cancer research continues to inspire and save lives.

PrevPreviousShe Couldn’t Invite Them All So They Brought Wedding To HER
NextThis Drug Enters Cancer Cells 12.5x Faster With NO Side EffectsNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Bill Nye Will Receive His Well Deserved Lifetime Achievement Award

February 8, 2026

Bill Nye the Science Guy is about to receive one of the highest honors in children’s television when the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presents him with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th Annual Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on March 1 at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Read More
Happy News

Taylor Swift’s Kitchen Skills Were Unexpected

February 8, 2026

Taylor Swift has become a beloved member of the Kelce family not just through her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce but also through her impressive skills in the kitchen, particularly her baking abilities that have won over the entire clan including Chiefs teammates. On her podcast Not Gonna Lie,

Read More
Happy News

Will and Jada Smith Support Their Son During Fashion Week Debut

February 8, 2026

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith proudly supported their son Jaden at his debut appearance as Christian Louboutin’s first men’s creative director during Paris Fashion Week, and they reportedly looked to be in great spirits despite living separately since 2016. The couple’s outing marked the first time they had been

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.