Tennessee

The Tennessee Chapter of The Cure Starts Now was opened in honor of our daughter Adeline "Addie Mae" Underhill who was diagnosed with DIPG just after her 7th birthday on July 30th, 2017. She fought fiercely for 22 months, never letting the cancer destroy her amazing sense of humor, love for her friends and family, and desire to help others. Addie was a little hooligan that sparkled like the most amazing little unicorn and she left a little bit of that sparkle with everyone she came across. Her giggle and smile would absolutely light up any room. Her love for her brothers, Skyler and Xander, was immeasurable. She had a love for all animals, especially the ones she had here on the farm. She gained her angel wings on May 21st, 2019. She was deeply loved by all those who knew her and is missed even more. 

Adeline's strong desire to help others (particularly other kids battling cancer) and our strong desire to see this awful disease eradicated is what has led us to open this chapter of The Cure Starts Now. She wanted to do anything she could to prevent other kids from getting DIPG in the future, including donating her tumor to research. Today we pick up that torch for her and do everything WE can to prevent DIPG from continuing to be underfunded and under researched.  

The Cure Starts Now (501c3 Federal Non-Profit) is one of the only cancer foundations dedicated to a “homerun” cure for all cancers, starting first with one of the most deadly and difficult cancers: pediatric brain cancer. Many experts believe that the lessons we learn from fighting pediatric cancer may in fact provide us the critical first step in winning the battle against all forms of cancer, both pediatric and adult.