Kiki’s Legacy
Keanu, affectionately known as Kiki, will always be a radiant presence in our family. Kiki’s beautiful, infectious smile and giggles brought joy to everyone he encountered, including his dedicated medical team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine.
At just 5 years old, he passed away after a courageous battle with Type 3 Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PPB)/DICER1, a rare and aggressive childhood lung cancer. The tumor developed in his left lung, and within months, the disease had metastasized to his brain.
Our Donation Story
Along with being Kiki’s neurosurgeon, Dr. Mark Souweidane’s efforts in clinical and scientific research at the Children’s Brain Tumor Project drove our decision to add to Kiki’s legacy by donating his tumor tissue and connection to the Swifty Foundation-Gift from a Child.