11-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Raises Awareness for Research

When Jackson Trinh was 7 years old, leg pains that seemed like normal kid stuff turned into something his parents never imagined: B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"I was only seven years old. I didn't know what leukemia was at the time, but my parents were crying, so I knew it was bad," Jackson remembers. The Albuquerque boy spent the next two years in and out of UNM Children's Hospital, enduring blood draws, spinal taps, chemotherapy, and countless nights away from his friends.

On January 18, 2024, Jackson beat cancer. Now 11 and two years cancer-free, he's channeling his experience into something powerful.

Jackson partnered with Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a nonprofit founded by Hyundai dealers in 1998 with one mission: end pediatric cancer. Every time someone buys a Hyundai, dealers and Hyundai Motor America pool money that goes directly to pediatric cancer research grants across the country.

The impact is staggering. This year alone, the organization will donate $26 million in research and program grants, pushing their lifetime total past $300 million.

Every 36 minutes, a child in the United States receives a cancer diagnosis. While survival rates have climbed to 85%, that's not good enough for Jackson or the organization he represents.

The money is funding real breakthroughs. Researchers are developing high-intensity and low-intensity focused ultrasound treatments that are far less invasive than traditional methods, giving kids better outcomes and healthier lives after cancer.

Why This Inspires

Jackson understands something many adults still don't grasp: children need cancer treatments designed specifically for their growing bodies. "People don't understand that children can get cancer, too, and we need to find better medicines from research that won't hurt our bodies," he explains with wisdom beyond his years.

His story shows how surviving something terrible can spark purpose that helps thousands of others. From hospital patient to advocate, Jackson transformed his pain into progress.

The road from 85% to 100% survival requires young voices like Jackson's, sharing hard truths and inspiring action one story at a time.