When I was 17 years old, I found myself facing a battle I never expected. Navigating cancer treatment as an older teen, I honestly assumed I wouldn't receive much outside support. I figured most of the charity and outreach was understandably focused on younger kids. I couldn't have been more wrong. The overwhelming generosity I received from various foundations completely changed my perspective and brought light to my hardest days.

That experience lit a fire in me. I realized that teenagers and young adults need that same spark of joy and distraction just as much as the little ones do. So, in 2022, I started Santiago Spicker Strong.

Everything we do is deeply personal. Every year, I choose the specific items we collect for our drives based entirely on what actually brought me comfort when I was sitting in a hospital room. Today, as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit, our mission is to ensure that every patient, from newborns up to 21-year-olds, knows they have an entire community fighting right alongside them.

-Santiago Spicker, Founder