After the Glow

Raising awareness for Retinoblastoma and funding for families receiving treatment

After the Glow is a foundation dedicated to providing financial support to families battling retinoblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer that often requires specialized treatment far from home. The emotional toll of cancer is overwhelming on its own—no family should also have to worry about how they’ll afford travel, missed work, or extended hospital stays just to get their child the care they need.

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What is Retinoblastoma?

Retinoblastoma is the most common type of eye cancer in children, but it is still considered rare, accounting for only about 2% of all childhood cancers. 200 to 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with retinoblastoma each year. The disease primarily affects infants and young children, with the average age of diagnosis being just 2 years old. One of the earliest signs parents notice is a glow in their child’s eye, often spotted in flash photography or bright light. This glow—known as leukocoria—is caused by light reflecting off the tumor inside the eye. If left untreated, retinoblastoma can be life-threatening, making early detection and immediate treatment critical.

Because retinoblastoma is so rare, only a handful of hospitals and specialists across the country have the expertise to treat it. Two of the leading treatment centers are Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)—where I was treated—and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)—where Kevin’s nephew, Liam, received care. Treatment often involves monthly eye exams under anesthesia, where doctors use laser therapy and cryotherapy to combat tumors. In more severe cases, children undergo chemotherapy, radiation, or even surgery to remove the affected eye. These treatments require families to drop everything—taking unpaid leave from work, incurring medical bills, and traveling across the country for care. It’s like a bad monthly vacation, not to Hawaii, but to a hospital where their child fights for their life.

More About After The Glow

I first got involved with After the Glow in 2019 when Kevin Sheridan, the foundation’s founder and former president, reached out. Since then, Kevin has become like a big brother to me, and I’ve been honored to support After the Glow, including helping with their annual event in Philadelphia. Just celebrating their 10 year anniversary, After the Glow has raised over half a million dollars to offset travel costs for hundreds of families seeking treatment at CHOP. In 2024 alone, the fundraiser helped 30 retinoblastoma families offset $68,000 in travel expenses.

But After the Glow is about more than just financial relief—it’s about hope. It’s about reminding families that there is life beyond the diagnosis. Whether retinoblastoma takes a child’s eyesight or not, I am involved to show both patients and parents that this is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new story with a much more beautiful ending. There is a life worth living after the glow.

Light Beyond the Diagnosis

Jake Olson - Motivation at After The Glow Golf Outing

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