Our Inspiration: Killian Owen

Killian Owen was only five when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, the most common - and curable - type of childhood cancer.

Killian fought hard against his cancer - undergoing chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as well as an experimental targeted treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

With green eyes and blonde curly hair, Killian was crazy about sports – participating in baseball, basketball and swimming anytime he was well enough during his four-and-a-half years of treatment. One of his brother’s coaches was so moved by Killian’s brave fight against cancer that he asked his team to forego buying him an end-of-season gift. Instead, he asked that any money collected be donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where Killian was being treated.

Despite the great medical care, the leukemia proved too strong, taking Killian’s life on July 27, 2003. He was only nine years old.

A year after his death, Killian’s mother – Grainne Owen – adapted that coach’s idea and created Coaches Curing Kids’ Cancer. Today, youth sports teams from all over the nation make donations in honor of their coaches - with proceeds going to childhood cancer research.

A group of teachers noticed the success of Coaches Curing Kids’ Cancer, and asked Grainne if she could create a similar program for teachers. Within weeks, Teachers Curing Kids’ Cancer was born.

“Coaches Curing Kids Cancer has been a partner of ours in our daily battle against Childhood Cancer. Through the hard work and dedication of the wonderful people involved with this organization we have been able to increase the number of crucial research studies at our institution. This allows our patients to have access to cutting edge treatments, eliminating the need to travel outside of the Midlands for such therapies. CKC is crucial to our efforts here, and we are deeply indebted to them, as are our patients.”