September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor the courage of children facing cancer, celebrate survivors, and recognize the communities that stand beside families during some of life’s most difficult moments.
For nearly two decades, Superhero Kids has been one of those steadfast communities.
Founded by longtime Dell Children’s supporters John and Samia Joseph, Superhero Kids was created with a simple but powerful mission: to ease the financial burdens families face while a child receives treatment at our Children’s Blood & Cancer Center. Every dollar raised goes directly toward supporting children and families through emergency assistance, educational scholarships, transportation support, and other critical needs. As a 100% volunteer-run organization, Superhero Kids is truly a labor of love.
Today, that mission continues through a new generation of leadership.
The Next Generation of Superheroes
When John and Samia began stepping back from day-to-day operations, they entrusted the future of Superhero Kids to Austin couple Sam and Grace Dowd, longtime volunteers who had spent years supporting the organization’s events and outreach efforts.
“It’s a huge honor,” Grace says. “These are very big shoes to fill. We don’t take that responsibility lightly.”
For Sam, the journey began nearly 16 years ago.
After graduating from The University of Texas during the recession of 2009, he was searching for a meaningful way to serve his community. He met John and Samia in 2010 and was immediately drawn to both their passion and the mission behind Superhero Kids.
Unlike many advocates in the childhood cancer community, Sam had no personal connection to pediatric cancer. Instead, he was motivated by something equally powerful: empathy.
“I recognized there was an opportunity to serve families in a really meaningful way,” he says. “The mission, vision, and values of Superhero Kids just spoke to me.”
That commitment eventually became a shared one. After meeting Grace, Sam introduced her to the organization, and the couple quickly became involved in everything from fundraising events and marathon water stations to holiday celebrations and scholarship programs for childhood cancer survivors.
Meeting Families Where They Are
What continues to inspire them most is seeing the direct impact that support can have on a family’s life.
As housing, transportation, and everyday expenses continue to rise, many families already facing the unimaginable find themselves under even greater financial strain.
“These families are already facing a devastating diagnosis,” Sam says. “If they’re also worrying about where the next rent payment is coming from or whether they can afford groceries, that’s a burden they shouldn’t have to carry alone.”
That reality is why organizations like Superhero Kids remain so important.
Working alongside Dell Children’s social workers and care teams, Superhero Kids helps address practical challenges that can make a tremendous difference in a family’s daily life. Whether it’s helping cover household expenses, supporting transportation needs, or funding scholarships for survivors pursuing higher education, the organization removes barriers so families can focus on what matters most: their child’s care.
Through Superhero Kids’ scholarship program, the organization has helped childhood cancer survivors pursue college, trade school, and other educational opportunities. Many recipients go on to study medicine, nursing, and other healthcare fields, often inspired by their own experiences at Dell Children’s.
“It’s incredible to hear these stories,” Sam says. “Many of these young adults want to make an impact in cancer research, become nurses, or pursue medicine because of what they’ve experienced. Being a small part of helping them move forward is incredibly rewarding.”
Carrying the Mission Forward
As Dell Children’s prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, partnerships like the one between Dell Children’s and Superhero Kids demonstrate the power of community-driven support.
The work happening inside the hospital’s walls is extraordinary. Equally important are the people and organizations helping families navigate everything beyond medical care: the everyday realities that accompany a life-changing diagnosis.
For Sam and Grace, carrying the legacy of Superhero Kids forward means honoring the vision John and Samia built while ensuring families continue to receive support when they need it most.
“John and Samia built something incredibly special,” Grace says. “If we can help carry that forward and make sure families continue to feel supported during the hardest moments of their lives, then we’re doing what Superhero Kids was created to do.”
During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, your support helps families receiving care at Dell Children’s Blood & Cancer Center focus on healing instead of financial hardship. Gifts supporting programs like Superhero Kids provide critical resources that ease burdens, create opportunities, and remind families they are not alone.
Together, we can continue building a community where every child facing cancer has the support they need and every family has hope for the future. Make your gift today and help ensure no family faces childhood cancer alone.