Honoring Andrew Wood & Point72!

It’s not every day that you get to honor someone you’ve known since childhood, and this year, we get to honor someone who is deeply woven into the story of Madelyn James.

Andrew Wood is Maddy and Hannah’s Godfather. He’s been part of our family, our story, and our lives from the very beginning. Today, he’s also a member of the Madelyn James Board, helping carry Maddy’s legacy forward and making sure other families facing pediatric cancer have the support they need.

Andrew is the kind of person who shows up. He shows up for his friends. He shows up for his family. And, he shows up for Madelyn James.

That same spirit is reflected in the organization Andrew represents. We’re incredibly proud to honor Point72 as our 2026 Corporate Honoree for their long-term, steadfast support of Madelyn James.

Since our founding, Point72 has contributed $25,000, enough to cover a full year of rent for a family facing pediatric cancer. That means a family can keep a roof over their heads while they focus on what matters most: finding a cure for their baby.

To us, that’s what partnership looks like. It’s saying yes. It’s showing up. It’s giving back. And it’s using what you’ve built to help carry a family through one of the hardest seasons of their lives.

That’s why we couldn’t be more proud to honor Andrew and Point72 at Philly Bow Bash 2026!

And, if you really want to understand what makes Andrew such a special part of the Madelyn James story, there’s one thing that rises above everything else: his selflessness.

There’s one story we’ll never forget.

One of our favorite stories about Andrew happened during one of the hardest days of Maddy’s life. We had moved Maddy’s care to Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City for one final “Hail Mary,” hoping with every fiber of our being that we could find a cure. What was supposed to be an outpatient clinical trial quickly turned into an emergency PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) stay and major, scary surgery.

And suddenly, we needed to get Maddy back to CHOP. Fast.

Our medical team worked tirelessly to arrange a helicopter flight back to Philadelphia. Jackie flew with Maddy. Dan drove through the night down I-95. Meanwhile, Hannah, Dan’s sister, and Jackie’s mom were still in New York City. We needed to get them home, too.

Andrew didn’t hesitate.

He drove into New York City from Connecticut, snacks and waters in hand. He packed his car with everything we had just moved into our long-term apartment, loaded up Hannah, Dan’s sister, and Jackie’s mom, and drove them all the way back to Philadelphia, so that, in the middle of the chaos and fear, we could all be together.

Andrew met Maddy in the hospital that day for the first and last time.

We will never forget that.

Not because he was asked to help. Not because anyone expected him to. He simply saw what needed to be done and showed up.

And, that is Andrew.

He has continued to show up for our family, for his friends, and for Madelyn James in that same way ever since. When we asked him to join our Board, he immediately said yes. When we asked him to help us find monthly donors, he said yes. Sarah (who is on our Philly Host Committee) and Andrew are one of our biggest donors. And, when we started talking about growing our corporate support, Andrew said,“I think Point72 would be a great partner for us.”

He was right!

Because of Andrew’s support, love, and kindness, and the generosity of Point72, Madelyn James now has a strong corporate partner helping us fill a critical gap for families facing pediatric cancer.

But for us, this story has never really been about a corporate partnership. It’s about a person who shows up.

For Maddy. For our family. For other families walking through pediatric cancer. And for a cause he believes in deeply.

That kind of selflessness is something we are incredibly proud to honor.

Maddy Double Waves to you, Andrew!