Press & Media

If you are a member of the media, and would like to speak with someone from JoyRx | Children’s Cancer Association, please email Press@JoyRx.org, or call 503-200-5102.

About JoyRx

JoyRx was founded as Children’s Cancer Association in 1995 by the Ellis family after their five-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died of cancer. Together with other caring trailblazers and parents, they set out to create something extraordinary: an organization with a new vision for what pediatric cancer support services look like.

Today, JoyRx is a national nonprofit that helps sick kids feel like kids again through our JoyRx Music, Mentorship, and Nature experiences. Each year, we reach nearly 40,000 hospitalized children across the country — inviting them to sing, laugh, and play out loud — in order to find joy during life’s most challenging moments.

Offered at no cost, our programs prioritize the emotional well-being of hospitalized kids. We believe that every kid deserves to feel like a kid, no matter their health journey. Simply put — joy helps sick kids feel better.

Latest News:

  • JoyRx is thrilled to announce that powerhouse duo The War and Treaty will take the stage as the headliners for the fifth annual Live from the Heart benefit concert—an evening of music and impact—on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at Brazos Hall in Austin, TX. This annual benefit concert supports JoyRx’s mission to create moments of connection, empowerment, and emotional well-being for children facing serious and terminal illnesses. 

    Read the full press release here.

  • We are honored to be selected as the recipient of the Brain Health Humanitarian Award for 2025. The award will be presented by Mr. Leigh Steinberg and Dr. Nicole Roberts during the 38th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals and organizations who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions, leadership, and impact in the fields of mental health, wellness, and neuroscience as they touch various communities in need.

    Read the full press release.

  • JoyRx | Children’s Cancer Association is honored to announce the expansion of services in New York City with the launch of live, bedside music programs for children at The Brooklyn Hospital Center on October 30, 2024, and the Children’s Hospital at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University on November 20, 2024. JoyRx Music is a free program that brings trained JoyRx Music Specialists into pediatric settings, providing in-person music activities to support psychosocial well-being, while sharing moments of joy and connection with seriously ill children and their families.

    Read the full press release.

  • The Board of Directors of JoyRx | Children’s Cancer Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Jack Pipkin to Chief Executive Officer, ushering in a new chapter in the leadership of the innovative non-profit, on the event of its 30th anniversary year in 2025.

    Read More.

Featured Multimedia

“We are so grateful for this program!” - Kamryn's Mom

"I can't express how much JoyRx has helped our family. It is such a wonderful program." - Holden's Mom

“We are so grateful for this program!” - Kamryn's Mom "I can't express how much JoyRx has helped our family. It is such a wonderful program." - Holden's Mom

"My kiddos' cancer is terminal. Being able to use the Caring Cabin was such a blessing. It is a time we will never forget." - JoyRx-served Parent

"It was so special, knowing that we are not alone in this journey." - Jace's Mom

"We felt an unbelievable amount of reverence and gratitude for the experience. We felt honored to be amongst the families who have been served." - Colton's parents

"My kiddos' cancer is terminal. Being able to use the Caring Cabin was such a blessing. It is a time we will never forget." - JoyRx-served Parent "It was so special, knowing that we are not alone in this journey." - Jace's Mom "We felt an unbelievable amount of reverence and gratitude for the experience. We felt honored to be amongst the families who have been served." - Colton's parents

"Children's Cancer Association is best positioned to integrate joy as a best practice in children's hospitals. When a child is facing life's most challenging moments, their joy may lay dormant inside of them. CCA has the people, programs, and tools that bring joy to life when it matters most." - Bronwyn J. Houston, President, Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel

"Children's hospitals are prioritizing mental health more than ever. Children's Cancer Association has been in this space for more than 25 years." - Jodi Coombs, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Children's Mercy Kansas City

"Children's Cancer Association is best positioned to integrate joy as a best practice in children's hospitals. When a child is facing life's most challenging moments, their joy may lay dormant inside of them. CCA has the people, programs, and tools that bring joy to life when it matters most." - Bronwyn J. Houston, President, Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel "Children's hospitals are prioritizing mental health more than ever. Children's Cancer Association has been in this space for more than 25 years." - Jodi Coombs, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Children's Mercy Kansas City