Samuel “Sammy” Valdez Drake
Sammy was a cheerful and rambunctious soul. He got the hang of a pedal bike on his first attempt at age 3. He loved trains (wooden, electric, and real), biking, racing around playgrounds, jumping on trampolines, and playing with his big brother. Sammy was the picture of energy and health until shortly after his 5th birthday when he started to be increasingly fatigued. When he suddenly developed balance problems, a CT scan revealed an inoperable and untreatable tumour near his brainstem: DIPG. In every period of his illness, Sammy impressed and humbled us with his heart, tenacity and kindness. We will always love you Sammy and are so proud of you.
Our Donation Story
We made the decision to donate because we know that only further research will result in a cure for DIPG and other brain cancers. We want future children and their families to have better outcomes and less-harmful treatment options. We couldn’t save Sammy, but we hope he can help save other children: children who are as deeply loved as Sammy still is.
Gift from a Child
Is a Swifty Foundation Program
Swifty is a recipient of the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency
