Family Launches Nonprofit in Son's Memory

Pierce County parents start Derail Childhood Cancer after their 5-year-old son Bryson McGrath died of neuroblastoma.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Cancer

Bold flat-color editorial illustration in deep red and cream showing a single bare tree on a distant ridge under a pale sky, evoking quiet endurance. — Bryson McGrath, 5, of Pierce County died of neuroblastoma in September; his parents launched a nonprofit for newly diagnosed families. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Pierce County parents started the nonprofit Derail Childhood Cancer in memory of their son, Bryson McGrath, who died of cancer at age 5 on September 26, 2025. The organization plans to offer Hope Express backpacks to newly diagnosed families.

Why it matters

Bryson's diagnosis at age 2½ with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma and four relapses illustrate the demands childhood cancer places on families. The nonprofit's focus on practical support reflects the needs of families navigating treatment far from home.

Bryson's treatment record, as reported by his family, included 26 chemotherapy rounds, 42 radiation treatments, 17 immunotherapy cycles and 12 surgeries, after a 7-inch, 2-pound tumor was found. The family was given an initial 60% prognosis, and the report does not say how many families the nonprofit has served to date.

The players

Derail Childhood Cancer

A nonprofit founded by the McGrath family to support children with cancer and their families through practical resources such as the Hope Express backpacks.

Masonic Children's Hospital

A pediatric hospital in Minneapolis that will distribute the Hope Express backpacks to newly diagnosed families.

The details

The family said Bryson's tumor ruptured during surgery and cancer cells spread throughout his body, and he relapsed four times before his death. The nonprofit's Hope Express backpacks will hold towels, a laundry hamper, board games, a resource binder and more, and will be handed out by Children's Minneapolis, Mayo Clinic in Rochester and Masonic Children's Hospital.

Bryson was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma at age 2½.
Bryson died of cancer at age 5 on September 26, 2025.
Each June 18, Prescott has marked Bryson's Silly Goose Day, declared by the mayor.

Wisconsin Context

Wisconsin's two major pediatric oncology centers are in Madison and Milwaukee, yet the McGraths traveled to Minneapolis and then San Diego for Bryson's care. McGrath has twice traveled to Washington, D.C., to press for increased federal childhood cancer research funding.

Families of newly diagnosed children can request a Hope Express backpack through the nonprofit, which will be distributed by Children's Minneapolis, Mayo Clinic in Rochester and Masonic Children's Hospital. The backpacks include towels, a laundry hamper, board games and a resource binder to help families manage treatment logistics.

The takeaway

Childhood cancer treatment can require long stays far from home, so practical planning for lodging, laundry and entertainment matters as much as medical decisions. Families facing a diagnosis may find support through local hospitals and nonprofit resource programs.