Love Your Melon supports nonprofit organizations that are paving the way in groundbreaking research, therapeutic experiences, and family support for children and families battling pediatric cancer.
$9,800,000+
DOLLARS GIVEN
270,000+
BEANIES GIVEN
200+
HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIPS
Love Your Melon
Priority Funding Areas
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children1. Yet, just 4% of the federal government’s cancer research funding focuses specifically on pediatric cancer2, and most pediatric cancer therapies were approved before 1990.
These treatments can be highly toxic, causing chronic health conditions in survivors3. Love Your Melon aims to help fill the gap by supporting lifesaving research projects working to develop safer, more effective cancer treatments.
After a cancer diagnosis, a child’s world changes overnight. Instead of going to school, being with friends, and focusing on growing up, they must suddenly cope with hospital stays, blood draws, tests, medicines, surgeries, or other treatments4.
Cancer places an emotional and psychological burden on the entire family, so focusing on mental health is essential. Love Your Melon’s nonprofit partners create experiences that connect children to loved ones, humanize the medical environment, and provide “wish” adventures to uplift spirits.
Many families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis encounter barriers to care. Income level, insurance, access to transportation, childcare, and lodging during treatment all affect a caretaker's ability to provide a child with the treatment they need.
The average cost of childhood cancer related medical expenses in the United States is $833,0005, taking parental wage loss into account. Love Your Melon supports organizations providing families financial support for both medical bills and daily needs, like groceries and rent.
The Facts
A pediatric cancer diagnosis affects the entire family—physically, emotionally and financially. Love Your Melon is committed to improving the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Do you have a child in your life who is battling cancer?
The Request A Hat program gives friends and family the opportunity to surprise a child battling cancer with a Love Your Melon Hat.
Supported Organizations
Give Kids the World Village
Give Kids the World Village ignites an enduring sense of hope in the hearts of critically ill children and their families by fulfilling their wishes through their Village Experience.
Beat Childhood Cancer
Beat Childhood Cancer funds novel research and innovative clinical trials utilizing precision medicine to target solid tumors in children.
Hopecam
Hopecam's mission is to overcome the social isolation experiences by children with cancer by virtually connecting them with their family, friends and classmates.
One Summit
One Summit's mission is to build resilience and facilitate growth in pediatric cancer patients and their siblings through experiential learning, mentorship, community engagement and storytelling with US Navy SEALs.
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario
POGO partners to achieve the best childhood cancer care system for children, youth, their families and survivors in Ontario and beyond.
Zip With Us
Zip With Us, Inc. donates free, custom ZipShirts™ to pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy throughout the U.S. and beyond to make treatment more comfortable and less scary, and so they are able to keep their clothes on during treatments.
World Child Cancer
World Child Cancer's mission to improve diagnosis, treatment and support for children with cancer, and their families, in low and middle-income countries around the world.
Ryan Seacrest Foundation
The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is dedicated to inspiring today’s youth through entertainment and education-focused initiatives. RSF’s primary initiative is to build broadcast media centers — Seacrest Studios — within pediatric hospitals.
Pinky Swear Foundation
The Pinky Swear foundation is committed to helping kids with cancer and their families with financial and emotional support.
M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital
The M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital provides a broad range of pediatric programs and care for children battling cancer and is also a leader in pediatric oncology services and top-notch research.
Hospital Partnerships
Love Your Melon is committed to donating a beanie to every child battling cancer. We hope our beanies keep the children warm and comfortable during treatment and provide smiles during a difficult time. To accomplish this goal, we provide the Request A Hat form on our website, and partner closely with children's hospitals to ship beanies directly to the children. We currently provide beanies to more than 200 children's hospitals in the United States.
Featured
Blog Posts
National Cancer Survivors Day Spotlight:
Mary
6/02/2023
I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia for the first time in 1994 and relapsed in 2003, both on Thanksgiving Day. As a 6-year-old child, people (adults) have an opinion of how you are supposed to feel, act, think, etc...
National Cancer Survivors Day Spotlight:
Mateo
6/02/2023
When I was three-and-a-half years old, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. My cancer returned at the age of seven-and-a-half and ten years old. The third encounter was the hardest...
National Cancer Survivors Day Spotlight:
Logan
6/02/2023
On the day I was born, my parents were told that I had neuroblastoma — a solid tumor that occurs only in infants and young children. I had surgery right away to remove the golf-ball sized tumor, but the cancer came back...
1. “2022 Cancer Facts & Figures Cancer | Cancer Death Rate Drops.” American Cancer Society, 12 January 2022, https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/facts-and-figures-2022.html.
2. “Facts About Childhood Cancer.” National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, https://nationalpcf.org/facts-about-childhood-cancer/.
3 “The Pediatric Cancer Landscape Today.” CureSearch for Children's Cancer, https://curesearch.org/wp-content/uploads/CureSearch_Pediatric-Cancer-Landscape.pdf.
4 “Helping Your Child Adjust to a Cancer Diagnosis.” American Cancer Society, 12 October 2017,https://www.cancer.org/treatment/children-and-cancer/when-your-child-has-cancer/after-diagnosis/helping-your-child.html.
5. “The Financial Burden Associated with Medical Costs among Childhood Cancer Patients and Their Families Related to Their Socioeconomic Status: The Perspective of National Health Insurance Service.” NCBI, 19 August 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7503756/