Our Call to Action Each year, more than 27,000 children in the U.S., ages 3 to 18 are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. That’s over and above the many hundreds of thousands of children already diagnosed with a potentially deadly illness. Another powerful fact: each year, more than 40,000 children in the U.S. undergo treatment for pediatric cancer. As one can imagine, these children and their families are faced with a struggle often filled with fear and emotional trauma. Treatments and surgical procedures can be scary and even disfiguring, causing many of these children to isolate themselves and become socially withdrawn. Debilitating anxiety and depression are also common among both patient and family members.  Unfortunately, it can be difficult for children and their families to find the emotional stability and support they need during this life changing event.  While there are many organizations that offer help to seriously ill children, none has been established to do what Berni & Murcer – Friends for LifeTM  does. ​

Our Purpose Berni & Murcer – Friends for LifeTM is a specialized comfort program that works in collaboration with medical professionals and families to provide emotional support, day-to-day comfort, encouragement, and inspiration to children diagnosed with cancer and other life threatening illnesses through the use of manipulatives and materials that are designed to have therapeutic value.  ​ Our Goal  To aid and advance the recovery of children while providing solace to their family members. As a comfort program, it is an essential component of the managed care process from diagnosis to reentry into community.

September is...Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!
 "When it Rains, We look for Rainbows...When it's Dark, We look for Stars."
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a time when we celebrate advances in childhood cancer treatment and care, remember the children we've lost, and engage new advocates to join in our mission of achieving a day when every child with cancer can live a long and healthy life.
This year, we also recognize the challenges and hardships that COVID-19 has created for families dealing with a childhood cancer diagnosis -- delayed appointments, severe financial strain, and overwhelming anxiety, exacerbated by social isolation.
This month, approximately 1,400 families will hear the words no one wants to hear – "Your Child has Cancer "– in the midst of a global pandemic.
These families need support now more than ever. Childhood Cancer is not cancelled and above all, Hope is not cancelled. Please join us in our journey of bringing hope and healing to children diagnosed with cancer (and their families) through the Berni & Murcer - Friends for Life "Comfort Backpack" program. The multi-dimensional therapeutic program is designed to improve the child's overall social and emotional well-being. With the normalcy of imaginative and interactive childhood play, Berni & Murcer - Friends for Life generates a renewal of inspired hope and increase of energy in the child to fight his or her illness, gain the strength and desire to persevere through the rigors of treatment, and increase their coping ability to receive life enriching after-care. Berni & Murcer - Friends for Life transforms children away from being “cancer patients,” to a recognition of their own self-identity, personal growth, and a healthy outcome.   We're All In This Together!

​In recognition of Brain Cancer Awareness Month, my son Aaron and I had the honor of joining over 480 members of the brain cancer community comprised of patients, survivors, caregivers, research scientists and medical professionals from 46 states on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021 for the  virtual #Head2Hill event sponsored by the National Brain Tumor Society.
​Our CT Team shared intimate and heartbreaking stories with members of Congress of how a brain cancer diagnosis, especially GBMs had and continues to impact their lives in profound and devastating ways and the importance to support funding for vital advancements in medical research at NIH, NCI and the DOD's Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program. The only way that we're going to defeat this relentless enemy called, "Brain Cancer" in both children and adults and to ultimately win the war over all cancers is to begin by claiming victories in new research developments for better treatments which will improve the health outcome for both pediatric and adult patients, greater access and affordability of treatments and medications, including telehealth services and expansive support networks for survivors. Let us together, "Ubuntu" (I am because we are) author these next chapters of hope for all children and adults living with and diagnosed with brain cancer!

​Berni's Face Mask Tips for Parents Campaign
"This was very helpful!" - parent