Every September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month reminds us of the courage, resilience, and hope embodied by children and families facing a cancer diagnosis. At Team IMPACT, we see that courage every day in the stories of kids like Brayden and the teammates who rally around them.
In August 2020, Brayden, now 14, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. What followed was a grueling journey filled with hospital stays, bone marrow aspirations, spinal taps, and multiple rounds of chemotherapy. Brayden, who was very active and involved in many sports before his diagnosis, was struggling with his new normal.
But in October 2021, his world expanded when he was matched with the Stonehill College football team. From that day forward, Brayden wasn’t the kid with cancer—he was part of a team that had his back.
Stonehill football player and Team IMPACT Fellow Matt DeVirgilio remembers the first day Brayden came to campus. “Right when he stepped on campus, it was fantastic,” Matt said. “He was just so excited to see what was going to happen the next two years within the Team IMPACT program.”
Through practices, games, and milestones, Brayden became a true member of the team. He celebrated his 14th birthday surrounded by teammates, marked the end of his treatment, and began a new chapter in survivorship—all with his Stonehill family by his side.
Even when treatment made life tough, Brayden showed up with unmatched resilience. “Brayden just shows so much resilience in how he was practicing while he was getting treatments,” Matt recalled. “It is just crazy to see how he was able to do that and see how strong he was during that time. He came back from the hospital and was having a fun time, he would go to the field and just forget about that.”
It wasn’t just about football. Brayden’s teammates supported him at his dirt bike races and baseball games, cheering him on with handmade signs and big smiles. “We came with big signs saying, ‘Let’s go, Brayden,’ and we’re all excited for him. We looked over and he saw us. We were there at his event, and he had a smile.”
In December 2023, Brayden officially graduated from Team IMPACT, but his bond with Stonehill football is forever. His name is etched on the Team IMPACT wall on campus, symbolizing a connection that goes far beyond the field for Brayden and all the Team IMPACT matches with the Skyhawks,
Today, Brayden is back to playing sports, racing dirt bikes, and living life outside of his cancer diagnosis. But the love and support he experienced through Team IMPACT will always be part of his journey.
As Matt shared, “With Brayden, having a team by his side during treatment and everything, it was really supportive for him and really brought him a lot of happiness.”
This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we honor Brayden and all children living with a cancer diagnosis, and we celebrate the teams, like Stonehill football, who step up to make sure no child fights alone.
