Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather DeBruin and Kate Welbourn. They and their team share their story with us below:
In 2011, while expecting twins with her husband, John Welbourn, a 10-year National Football League veteran, Kate Welbourn learned that her high school soccer teammate, Heather DeBruin, was facing every parent’s worst nightmare. Wade, one of Heather’s 18-month-old twins, had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of pediatric cancer, and died a few months later. In Wade’s honor, the Welbourn founded Wade’s Army to raise funds to support families’ immediate needs while their children are undergoing cancer treatment, like their friends, the DeBruins; and also fund research to find a cure. “We wanted to help and bring positive energy around a tragic loss and devastating disease,” Welbourn says.
At the beginning, Kate encouraged her husband John to use his social media platform to raise awareness of her friend’s fight and others facing the same challenges. Together, they started small. They held a T-shirt drive and a special workout in Wade’s honor. Initially, they raised $15,000.
Wade’s Army has since been able to bring thousands of people together to join the fight against neuroblastoma. Their supporters have made it possible for Wade’s Army to fund five clinical research trials, support 30 families and commit more than $625,000 to clinical research to find a cure for this terrible disease. Recently, the Wade’s Army Teaching Kitchen at the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center was launched to utilize nutrition as a way to battle this aggressive pediatric cancer.
Neuroblastoma is a very rare type of cancerous tumor that almost always affects children. It accounts for 50% of all cancer in infants and is the leading cause of cancer death in children under the age of five. There are about 750 cases of the disease each year in the United States alone and yet ~15% of all childhood cancer deaths can be attributed to neuroblastoma. To date, more than $1.25 million has been raised to support families and fund critical research at hospitals around the country. We will use our power for good and fight neuroblastoma until we are able to find a cure. We invite you to join us as we stand on the front lines of the battle against neuroblastoma, arm in arm with children and families who are currently in the fight.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The past ten years have presented various challenges and obstacles for us to navigate. While Heather and her family were in the hospital for months with Wade, they quickly realized that they weren’t given much information on what foods would be best to feed Wade during his treatment to help combat his cancer. They also noticed that the hospital food that was fed to families wasn’t the most nutrient dense. Since then, Heather and Kate have been on a mission to partner with a hospital to build a teaching kitchen that would help families learn how to shop for and make healthy meals for their families in addition to offering alternative options to the dining halls at the hospitals.
Finding hospitals to partner with, especially on the nutrition programming, has been a challenge. Utilizing and offering nutrient dense food, in combination with traditional medical treatments, can help aid in the treatment and recovery of cancer patients. It wasn’t until 2021 that Wade’s Army was able to find a hospital that was willing and able to embark on this mission. We are proud to announce the formation of the Wade’s Army Teaching Kitchen at the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center which will serve thousands of children and families battling all forms of cancer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wade’s Army?
It’s incredibly important for us to stay lean and ensure that our operating costs are minimal. We rely on our team of year-round volunteers to help. We feel very fortunate to have a group of wonderful volunteers from Vandegrift High School who help us weekly. We also love how our supporters wear their Wade’s Army gear and post their workouts on social media year round to help spread the word about this rare pediatric cancer and how they can help make an immediate difference in the lives of children and families who are battling this terrible disease.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
We are especially thankful for Power Athlete, Lakeway Elite Fitness, and the Bee Cave Riding Center, as they have all been huge supporters of Wade’s Army from the beginning. The CrossFit community and gyms across the United States and abroad band together in their Wade’s Army Uniforms on November 12th of each year to honor Wade and his battle with neuroblastoma. Our hero workout consists of:
Wade –
Complete 5 rounds for time:
50 lbs One Arm DB Power Snatch – 11 reps
50 lbs One Arm DB Thrusters – 12 reps
Pull Ups w/ the 50 lbs DB – 11 reps
*You can alternate hands as needed to complete total reps
We wouldn’t be able to continue support families on the front lines, battling neuroblastoma, and funding critical Phase 1 Clinical Trials without the ongoing support of our army of supporters.
Each fall, our new t-shirt design goes on sale and through selling our $35 shirts, we are able to raise funds and awareness needed to continue on with our mission.
Pricing:
- Wade’s Army t-shirt $35
Contact Info:
- Email: megan@wadesarmy.org
- Website: www.wadesarmy.org
- Instagram: wadesarmy
- Facebook: wadesarmy
Image Credits
Anneke Paterson Photo
