Wyoming High School Student Creates Fundraiser

to Honor Her Sister Who Battled Cancer

When Grace Desserich was only four-years-old she watched her sister, Elena, battle one of the deadliest forms of pediatric cancer, DIPG. Though she was very young, Grace’s heartbreak was huge. After her sister’s death, their parents started The Cure Starts Now to fund research, so no other family or sibling would have to face this harsh reality of cancer. Now 15-year-old Grace has created a fundraiser on her own to honor Elena. The “HeART Auction”, just finished its second year by celebrating Elena's love of art while raising over $5,200 to fund brain cancer research to help kids battling the same type of cancer. 

Grace’s mother, Brooke Desserich, is proud of Grace’s dedication as a volunteer for The Cure Starts Now. She has travelled around the country meeting other families and volunteering her time.  

“Grace pretty much grew up surrounded by kids battling cancer and saw how parents turned that tragedy into action by helping other families. She has not only understood the real need for funding, but she has also done something about it. I couldn’t be prouder of her determination and compassion,” said Brooke.

Grace asked artists and students from around the country to donate their artwork for her auction. This year she expanded the auction to include special paintings from brain cancer patients. So many of the families wrote thank you notes talking about what it meant to their kids to be a part of such an amazing opportunity to fight their cancer in a whole new way.

About The Cure Starts Now: With 39 chapters worldwide, The Cure Starts Now has quickly gained acclaim as one of the fastest growing cancer research charities and one of the first ones to advocate a homerun strategy for cancer research. Since 2007, The Cure Starts Now, in conjunction with the DIPG Collaborative, has funded over $10.2 million in pediatric DIPG cancer research at institutions globally.

Elena and Grace were not only sisters, but they were also the best of friends. Elena died of one of the deadliest forms of pediatric cancer, DIPG, when Grace was only four-years-old. 

Grace Desserich, a junior at Wyoming High School, started an art fundraiser called the “HeART Auction”.  

The “HeART Auction” has raised over $5,200 in just two years by auctioning art created by artists – both students and cancer patients happily donated works of art. Grace was interviewed about the auction in the Wyoming High School Pendery Lobby.