Our Founder
Regina Ellis and her family founded Children’s Cancer Association in 1995 after her five-year-old daughter Alexandra died of cancer. Along with other parents, pioneers, and dreamers she set out to create something extraordinary: an organization with a new vision for what pediatric cancer support services might look like.
What started around Regina’s kitchen table has grown to one of the largest children’s health non-profits in the Northwest with annual revenue of over $6 million, and award-winning programs that reach children across the nation. Regina proudly serves as Founder and Chief Joy Officer of JoyRx / Children’s Cancer Association.
As JoyRx / Children’s Cancer Association has grown, so has Regina’s belief that joy changes lives, fuels innovation, and fosters creativity. She speaks nationally on the Joy Effect, inspiring companies and organizations like Nike, Keller Williams, the National Speakers Association, PSFK, and Women in Financial Services. In 2015, Regina was a featured speaker at TEDx Portland with over 3,000 attendees.
Regina welcomes your suggestions, comments, and ideas.