Dean Crowe’s Mission to Revolutionize Childhood Cancer Research with the Rally Foundation
Childhood cancer is the number one killer of children in the United States, with 47 families receiving a diagnosis every day. Crucially, however, it is severely underfunded nationally compared to the major adult cancers. Dean Crowe, the founder and CEO of the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, and her husband Reid, who is COO, have dedicated their lives to advancing pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer treatments and supporting families through their toughest days, contributing everything from grant funding to family meals and travel accommodations for drug trials.
The Origin of Rally Foundation: A Community Comes Together
Johnathan, Rally Kid William, and Dean Crowe
The story of Rally Foundation began on a baseball field in East Cobb, Georgia. Dean Crowe’s son played on a summer league team coached by her husband, Reid. Among the players was William Olson, a bright and lively boy who became a close family friend.
Not too long after the summer baseball season ended, William was diagnosed with brain cancer. What followed was a remarkable show of unity: a driveway prayer circle outside William’s home, three times a week, bringing together neighbors, friends, and strangers of all faiths. These gatherings lasted over a year, creating a community of hope and resilience.
After one particularly difficult setback in treatment, Dean visited William and his family in the hospital. There, she witnessed the courage of a young boy fighting for his life - in stark contrast to her son at the same age who was close to heading off to college - but also the overwhelming strain his family was under. She was struck by a sobering reality: childhood cancer was the number one disease killer of children, yet it received a fraction of the funding allocated to adult cancers. Dean felt a call to action she couldn’t ignore, and got to work to help families in this unimaginable position.
Reid also did his part, taking a role as COO in 2019, at a time when Rally really needed the support, as well as financially supporting Dean in the first three years of Rally’s foundation. She jokes that they have to “stay in their own lanes” to make it work, but make no mistake - this Foundation is a family effort, starting with his special relationship with William after coaching his baseball team.
The Rally Foundation awards the William Olson Advocacy Award to a researcher every year. The award went to Dr. Gregory Freeman in 2024, whose research around the use of a modified virus to fight brain cancer was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Rally's Research and Funding Impact
The Rally Foundation has awarded over $35 million in research grants, funding more than 597 projects in hospitals and institutions worldwide. Their dual-peer-reviewed grant system ensures that every dollar supports high-impact research. These efforts have led to:
63% of funded research being published or presented at conferences.
50% of funded projects advancing to federal funding.
24% of funded projects progressing to clinical trials.
By filling critical gaps in early-stage research, Rally has amplified its impact, with the initial $35M resulting in over half a billion dollars in additional funding, which she explains is indicated by an algorithm in their funding platform Proposal Central.
Their innovative "Outside the Box" grants fund under-researched projects, including Dr. Sam Solshenbaum’s creation of an international database using a common language so that doctors and researchers can search through a database for multiple cancers.
Dean’s passion for advocacy took her from local communities to Capitol Hill. Leveraging her personal connection with someone from her Harvard Business School Executive Education Program, Dean studied how to best approach Congress across the aisle, thus allowing these personal, very real stories to be shared for real change and creating lasting impact.
This work has secured $223 million from the Department of Defense for childhood cancer research to date. This funding, allocated through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, has since supported 153 new federally funded research projects. Dean’s efforts were guided by data showing that many active military personnel fall into the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer age range of 15–39 years, about half of whom have children. They secured funding by advocating for the younger populations and their families being left behind by the underfunding of the different cancers that impact their ages. Dean’s work recently earned her the inaugural Impact Award from the Harvard Business School Atlanta network.
Supporting Families Beyond Research
Shawna and Sean Fallmann, Reid and Dean Crowe, Debra Strand and Ed Bastian, Marie-Josee Simard and Alain Bellemare, Rally Kids Korbin and Amelia
Dean highlights the stories of "Rally Kids," childhood cancer survivors who inspire hope. These stories not only raise awareness but also remind families facing a difficult diagnosis that they are not alone. She also discusses Rally’s readiness to work across various other organizations, emphasizing, “If we all have the same mission, which is to help find a cure for childhood cancer and to support these families going through the most horrific, unimaginable thing, then we’re stronger together.”
Rally's success stems from its robust fundraising initiatives, combining grassroots efforts with corporate sponsorships. Signature events like Rally on the Runway and the annual Benefit Bash in Atlanta bring communities together while raising millions annually. The 2024 Benefit Bash raised $3.7 million, thanks to the support of major corporate sponsors like Delta Airlines and Altium Packaging.
Creative campaigns, such as the 47 Faces of Rally and Rally Fit, further engage supporters to honor the 47 children diagnosed with cancer daily in the U.S. These campaigns encourage participants to dedicate community activities to raise awareness and funds.
A Legacy of Impact
Dean Crowe’s dedication has transformed childhood cancer advocacy, starting right here in Georgia. What began as a community effort in the South has grown into a nationwide movement, with Rally Foundation offices in Nashville, Pensacola, and Salt Lake City supporting families and research. To hear more about Dean’s inspiring journey and the incredible work of the Rally Foundation, be sure to check out this episode of the Southern Character podcast as well as the Rally Foundation Website.
