Some stories stay with you because they remind you what real courage looks like.
When Tammi Carr’s son Chad was diagnosed with DIPG, a rare and fatal brainstem tumor, her family’s world stopped. What started as heartbreak soon became a movement and one that has since poured over $40 million into pediatric brain cancer research and helped accelerate the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for DIPG.
In our latest AFS Health & Care Podcast, Tammi takes us inside that journey, sharing the raw early days, the foundation’s evolution, and the growing light of progress. From one family’s fight came a national mission: the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, now helping families across the country through research, funding, and free support programs like My DIPG Navigator: a one-of-a-kind service connecting newly diagnosed families with expert oncology nurses and real-time clinical guidance.
But Tammi’s story isn’t just about advocacy. It’s about health, particularly her own and why it matters for her purpose. After years of giving everything to others, she’s rebuilding her health through strength training, mindful lifestyle behaviors, and small, consistent actions. Her reminder is one we all need: start with one thing a day, lean on accountability, and choose consistency over extremes.
Watch her full story on the impact she’s making and how her health is fueling her purpose:
How We Can Support
We’re honored to stand alongside Tammi and the ChadTough team – not just in spirit, but in action. For every new AFS member who joins on behalf of Tammi Carr, we’ll donate $250 to the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation — funding research, family support, and the future of better treatments.
And because we believe in caring for those who care for others, all ChadTough employees will receive discounted membership rates at AFS as part of our commitment to supporting the health of these incredible change agents.
Listen & Share
You can listen to Tammi’s full story on the AFS Health & Care Podcast available wherever you stream your podcasts.
It’s a conversation about loss, leadership, and the unshakable power of community.
If it moves you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Together, we can make “rare” a word that never defines a child’s outcome again.
👉 Learn more or donate directly at ChadTough.org
