About us
Born from love. Built for families.
The Madelyn James Pediatric Cancer Foundation exists because one little girl changed everything and because no family should face childhood cancer alone.
Our story
It started with Maddy.
Maddy was an incredible, fierce, feisty girl. She was Hannah's twin sister. Her smile, nose scrunch, and side eye could make your heart melt immediately. Her battle with infant leukemia was that of storybooks.
She fought every single day. A real life superhero. And through it all, she smiled, laughed, and loved. She most dearly loved her sister, her parents, and her best pal Rupert the wub-a-nub pacifier.
Maddy was diagnosed with infant leukemia, a genetic variant (KT2MA), at just three months old. She spent most of her life in and out of hospitals. Yet because of the amazing team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), incredible insurance, community support, and the loving care Maddy received, she was treated as an individual patient, not as a protocol.
Because of this support, she could be with her family at home when she wasn't in the hospital. Maddy went to the swings every day, she had late-night "dance parties," she snuggled with her sister.
She never gave up.
Just as Maddy was about to go to bone marrow transplant, with her twin sister Hannah as her donor, her disease quickly and rapidly changed types. The odds were stacked against her, yet she kept on going. Maddy never gave up.
Even on her last day, she fought and loved so hard to make sure every single immediate family member was in the room. She moved mountains. She is missed so much.
Now, our mission is to work with families by supporting them in the loving, kind way we were supported during Maddy's life. No family should have to go through what we did. And if they do, we want to help create a community and support net to keep families together and live joyful lives.
Why the bow?
When Maddy was going through treatment, she lost her hair. Her twin sister Hannah wore a bow every day. And every day Maddy was home, she would crawl right up to Hannah and take that bow out of her hair!
When Maddy finally had enough hair to stick a little bow in it, her face beamed. Each morning, she would pick what color bow to place in her growing hair curl. Even at the hospital, we put a new bow in her hair every day.
That's why our logo is a bow. It might start out as a piece of string with two ends, but when you put them together, it creates an infinity sign that lasts forever—just like Maddy.
Our mission
What we're here to do.
We increase access and equity in pediatric cancer by providing deep, personalized support to families from under-resourced communities, so they can stay stable, stay together, and focus on what matters most: their baby.
Dignity-first
We meet families where they are, without judgment. Every family deserves support that honors their situation and respects their autonomy.
Deep, not wide
We work with a small number of families so we can truly show up, providing comprehensive, on-going support rather than one-time help.
The power of showing up
Financial support is essential. And, so is human connection. We stay in relationship with families, not just in transaction.
Equity in care
A family's income shouldn't determine their child's access to treatment. We work to remove the barriers that poverty creates.
Our founders
Led by people who've been there.
The Madelyn James Foundation was started by Maddy's mom and dad. They know firsthand what it means to walk through pediatric cancer and specifically caring for a baby with cancer, and who experienced the power of community support.
Jackie Didio
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Jackie is Maddy and Hannah's mom, a twin mom and now a non-profit co-founder. With over 17 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, she's dedicated to increasing equity in childhood cancer so all families can access equitable health care. Jackie has held leadership roles at organizations including Miriam's Kitchen, buildOn, and The Child & Family Network Centers, bringing expertise in corporate partnerships, events, and development.
Dan Didio
Co-Founder
Dan is Maddy and Hannah's dad. When Maddy was diagnosed at three months old, Dan became a full-time caregiver alongside Jackie, learning to navigate major hospital systems while supporting their family through treatment. Dan works at Johnson & Johnson MedTech and brings his experience in healthcare and his deeply personal understanding of what families face during pediatric cancer treatment.
Our journey
How we got here.
Maddy is diagnosed
At just three months old and one day shy of her four-month checkup, Madelyn James was diagnosed with infant leukemia. Her family made the decision to relocate to Philadelphia to receive world-class care at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia—a choice not every family can make.
Maddy passes away
After fighting every single day with joy and fierceness, Maddy passes, leaving behind a legacy of courage, joy, and the unmistakable power of showing up. She moved mountains until her very last day.
Foundation is born
Jackie and Dan Didio establish the Madelyn James Pediatric Cancer Foundation, sitting around a their family's kitchen table, to honor Maddy's memory and support other families the way their community supported them.
First fundraiser (Bow Bash)
The foundation holds its first fundraiser in Alexandria, bringing together community to support pediatric cancer families.
Growing our impact
With 10 kids and 9 families supported across 6 states, 3 bells rung, and $182K in housing payments made, we continue to expand our reach while staying true to our model: go deep, not wide.
Join Maddy's legacy.
Every gift helps us show up for another family. Every dollar funds the kind of support that keeps families together.