Press & News

How do you explain cancer to a child? And how can creativity help children feel more involved in their own healthcare experiences? In this episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Caitlin Novelli, a Certified Child Life Specialist in the Philadelphia area and one of the newest advisors to Rona's FUN LAB. They explore two creative projects from Caitlin's work: ✨ Take Your Child to Work Day cancer demonstrations: Making complicated medical concepts unders

When I think about the people who cared for Rona, I think about my sister, who answered every FaceTime from her. And every call from me on my daily walk outside, when I needed to process what was happening. I think about my parents, who moved into a hotel across the country from their home so they could be available on the days I needed help. They put themselves close enough to be there when we needed them. I think about my nieces, who spent their entire summer on FaceTime wi

There's a new Magic Maker at Rona's FUN LAB! ✨ Meet Jordi Wallen, our Development & Communications Coordinator! As Rona's FUN LAB continues to grow, we're excited to welcome Jordi to the team. She's helping us strengthen our communications, connect with supporters, coordinate fundraising campaigns, and share more of the magic happening across pediatric healthcare. In this video, get to know Jordi and learn more about her role in helping Rona's FUN LAB grow. We're thrilled to

Two years ago, a speech at the Innovation Network Gathering launched Rona's FUN LAB. Behind the scenes was Jefferson Smith, the founder of ING, a Rona's FUN LAB board member, and the person who helped Lindsey Wahlstrom find the words to tell a deeply personal story. For this episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey invites Jefferson to reflect on the past two years and talk about what it takes to help people find their message. But Jefferson, who has coached Lindsey through som

We celebrated two years of Rona's FUN LAB with a breakfast, bead bar, and brainstorm about how we can balance the magic of science and the magic of living for critically ill kids. Here's what some of the attendees had to say.

Three years ago today, my daughter Rona died. She made it to six. Anniversaries come with math you don't go looking for. This year's is this: we are halfway to the point where she will have been gone longer than she was alive. I wasn't looking for that thought. It just showed up one day, and once it did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Not because of what it says about Rona, but because of what it says about me. I'm becoming someone she never knew. I've become more protect

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, families quickly discover that the medical journey is only part of the story. There are practical challenges, emotional challenges, financial challenges, and countless moments when having the support of someone who understands can make all the difference. That's why we're excited to feature Arianna Wilson, Executive Director of Alex's Team, in this month's Magic Wand Moments conversation. Alex's Team is dedicated to improving the lives o

Saturday was one of those days that reminded me why this community is so special. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Rona's birthday with us at our third annual Rona's Rockin' Memorial Toy Drive. We shared cake, caught up with old friends, met new ones, and, most importantly, collected toys and books that will help to bring the magic of language and communication to children at Maria Fareri's Cochlear Impact Lab. During the event, I asked our friends and fami

At Rona's FUN LAB, we're fortunate to be guided by an incredible group of advisors who generously share their expertise to help us create a world where quality of life factors into the treatment equation for critically ill children. In this video, we're introducing Grazia Mohren, a member of the Rona's FUN LAB Advisory Board. Grazia serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing and Client Engagement at YPrime, where she leads global marketing and client engagement effort

Three years ago this month, I spent every day counting down to Rona's sixth birthday. There were Elf on the Shelf antics in the hospital room, even though it wasn't December. We planned a birthday party in the ICU, complete with party boxes so friends and family could celebrate with us virtually. There was a virtual meet-and-greet with Doug the Pug because, if you knew Rona, you know she would have thought that was pretty much the greatest thing ever. None of it changed why w

What does pediatric palliative care really mean? In this episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Dr. Gary Tatz, a Pediatric Critical Care and Palliative Care physician who cared for Rona during her illness. Together, they explore one of the most misunderstood specialties in medicine, discussing how pediatric palliative care supports children and families throughout serious illness—not just at the end of life. In this conversation, they discuss: • What

In this month's Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom and Samtubia Edwards reflect on one of the ideas that has become central to Rona's FUN LAB: agency. What does it mean for children to have a voice during serious illness? How can healthcare teams create opportunities for choice, participation, and dignity, even when treatment itself isn't optional? Together, Lindsey and Sam share stories from Rona's treatment, discuss why agency became so important to their family, and exp

I have a string with 967 beads on it. Each bead represents something done to my daughter Rona’s body in the nine months before she died: transfusions, chemotherapy, radiation, nights in the hospital, and needle pokes, among others. Here’s the part I don’t always say out loud: Rona hated her string of beads. We never made it past adding the first sixty while she was alive. She didn’t want to track what was happening to her body in that way, and I didn’t have the bandwidth to k

In this deeply personal episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Lauren Nittoli, Rona's child life specialist and the hospital's first Bereavement Coordinator. Lauren was there during treatment, but her impact extended far beyond the hospital room. Through her compassion and guidance, she helped Lindsey begin navigating anticipatory grief—a foundation that would later shape both her healing and the creation of Rona's FUN LAB. Together, they discuss: • W

Over the past month, I have been in a lot of conversations about trust. In Modena with the FACILITATE team, the discussion centered on what it means to return individual trial data in ways that center participants instead of systems. On a BioNews panel, the focus turned to “levers” for trust with rare disease communities. At a virtual IRB conference, I gave a keynote on informed consent that pushed attendees to think beyond the form and shift from disclosure to understanding.

In this special Father's Day edition of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Samtubia Edwards, Rona's dad. Together, they reflect on fatherhood, pediatric illness, grief, and the experience of loving a child through extraordinary circumstances. The conversation explores what made Rona so special, the realities of navigating treatment as a father, and what families need from the people and systems around them. This episode is the first in what we hope will beco

In this special board member spotlight, we're introducing Dale Wahlstrom, Secretary of the Rona's FUN LAB Board. To many people, Dale is a former life sciences executive with decades of experience helping organizations grow and thrive. To us, he's simply Papa. As Rona's grandfather, he experienced firsthand the challenges, heartbreak, and moments of joy that shaped our family's journey through serious illness. Today, he helps guide Rona's FUN LAB as we work toward a world whe

In this episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Kelly Sitler, a child life specialist, childhood cancer survivor, and advisor to Rona's FUN LAB. Kelly brings a unique perspective to pediatric healthcare, having experienced serious illness as a child and now supporting children and families professionally through her work in child life. In this conversation, Lindsey and Kelly discuss: • The impact of child life services on pediatric patients • What chil

June is PTSD Awareness Month. For most people, PTSD calls to mind combat veterans or survivors of violent trauma. But there's another population quietly living with post-traumatic stress disorder: children who spend weeks or months in pediatric intensive care units, and their families. Research shows that up to 28% of children develop PTSD following admission to a PICU, with symptom rates significantly higher at up to 62% (Colville, G., & Pierce, C. Intensive Care Medicine, 2

In this episode of Magic Wand Moments, Lindsey Wahlstrom sits down with Bridget Chapital, creator of Bright Ideas Loading — a series designed to help children understand clinical trials. Bridget’s work focuses on making clinical research more accessible for kids by giving them language and context for what they’re experiencing. In this conversation, Lindsey and Bridget discuss: • Why children need to understand clinical trials • How understanding impacts fear, trust, and part