Milwaukee mother transforms her gratitude from support during treatment into a selfless outpour of giving back.
Becoming a parent brings overwhelming feelings of love, joy and protection. New fears are established at each age as a newborn baby grows, learning to roll over, walk and eventually run. However, there are fears that strike some parents out of the blue, perhaps one of the biggest is the fear of losing their child to cancer. The intensive process from hearing the words “it’s cancer” to ringing the bell at the end of treatment can leave the families of children with cancer feeling drained, emotionally exhausted and worried about the future. However, for one Mukwonago resident, it did not. Herlinda Franco and her family’s lives were never the same after her son, Juan Pablo’s diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Throughout his treatment, and even long after, he has rung the bell, Herlinda continues to give back to families affected by childhood cancer because of the immense amount of love and support they received during the hardest time of their lives. She started her own non-profit that gives back to children going through cancer treatment named Juan Pablo’s Inspire Awesomeness.
Herlinda Franco, who was born in Milwaukee and now resides in Mukwonago, is a wife, mother to four and a successful business owner. She was raised by a single mother who had migrated to the United States at seven years old alongside the help of Herlinda’s grandparents. Herlinda said the values of “humbleness, kindness and faith in God” while growing up are what helped shape the woman she is today.
School was very important in her household as she earned top grades earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Information Systems from Milwaukee School of Engineering. Following her degree, she worked in the field for ten years before she put a pause on working to raise her children. Herlinda is a mother to four children aged 5-12 years old with her husband Jose Franco Jr. After having her first child, she returned to an old passion of hers, photography, where she opened her own business Sunlight Kisses Photography, LLC.
Herlinda Franco with her son Juan Pablo during treatment
When taking her at-the-time two-year-old son Juan Pablo to his yearly pediatric check-up it was discovered that iron levels in his blood were very low. After months of observations and blood testing, it was decided to check his bone marrow for the possibility of cancer. On March 13, 2019, Juan Pablo, 2, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. AML is a rare form of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Myeloid cells form in the bone marrow interfering with growth and development of normal white and red blood cells as well as platelets. The Franco family’s everyday lives were turned upside down as a great portion of Juan Pablo’s treatment would need to be done in the hospital. Herlinda said “Juan Pablo spent 153 days as an inpatient in the hospital and over 100 days at home with a low immune system. He lived with a central venous line for over nine months.”
Friends, family and hospital staff gathered together on December 31, 2019 wearing Juan Pablo Strong shirts to watch Juan Pablo ring the bell at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin. Ringing the bell is a tradition at the hospital signifying a child’s end of treatment in their cancer journey. The first year following treatment, Juan Pablo went to the hospital for monthly checkups. Now he goes in every two months to ensure his blood counts look good. Juan Pablo is doing great and has started Pre-school. After five years of checkups following treatment, he will be considered a cancer survivor. Herlinda excitedly said, “We are halfway there!”
Herlinda felt inspired to give back after all the love and support her family received from organizations that help children with cancer feel more comfortable and ease the financial burden. One day while shopping Herlinda came across a shirt that had large colorful letters on it that said Inspire Awesomeness. She said, “That would be the name of our own kindness movement for children and families affected by childhood cancer: Juan Pablo’s Inspire Awesomeness.”
“From devastation to inspiration, a kindness movement supporting the childhood cancer community” -Herlinda Franco
While it is not an official charity yet, Herlinda said, “It’s our small way of giving back to a much-needed cause.” Juan Pablo’s Inspire Awesomeness has achieved so much and has had a great ripple effect in spreading kindness. They’ve been able to successfully hold several toy drives for donations to the hospital, raising funds to provide new badges to all the oncology nurses at the hospital and have had two annual Fourth of July fund raisers to provide gifts and support for children who are inpatient during this holiday. As a family that knows what it’s like to miss out on holiday fun while being inpatient, Herlinda provides these inpatient kids with decorations for their rooms and gift cards for the families to enjoy a meal together. As well, at Christmas time, Herlinda uses her income from her photography work alongside donations to provide gifts and money for a cancer family in need of a Christmas miracle.
Herlinda’s selfless acts of giving back to the community that supported her throughout her son’s diagnosis and treatment don’t end there. She volunteers at Gamerosity, a childhood cancer charity that raises money to provide children with a hero package including iPads. She was able to raise $1400 for them; she volunteers in contacting parents as well as providing photography services, and she donated cotton candy from Juan Pablo’s Inspire Awesomeness for their 2020 prom event and is now a board member. Some of her involvement with other childhood cancer foundations and charities can be seen below:
·MACC Fund Center- Juan Pablo was the 2020 MACC Star designer and raised money through his birthday and other events
·Leukemia Lymphoma Society, LLS--Juan Pablo was the 2020 honorary hero for their student of the year campaign, which raised over $640,000
·F.O.M.A. Friend of Mukwonago Athletes--Raised $8,600 for Children’s Wisconsin Hematology Oncology Transplant Unit (HOT Unit)
·Special Spaces--Provides bedroom makeovers for children with life threatening illnesses; Herlinda spreads awareness and nominates children
Herlinda shares local childhood cancer organizations such as Kisses from Keegan, Destination Dino Liam, and We believe in Jake on social media, nominating families in need and working with them to donate items.
She hopes to collaborate Juan Pablo’s Inspire Awesomeness with other charities to offer support in their mission. By turning a tragedy into something selfless and positive, she said, “I hope our little kindness moves hearts in big ways to give to children and bring them smiles.”
About the Author
Candice Montalvo
Candice is an undergraduate student at Mount Mary University studying Early Childhood Elementary Education. She enjoys writing informative pieces and is passionate about fostering creative and educational development in younger children.
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