A Legacy of Love and Service
Since 1970, Leukemia Texas has stood as a beacon of hope for families facing one of life’s most devastating diagnoses. For more than five decades, the organization has provided patient aid and funded innovative research, all while keeping 100% of donations right here in Texas. Its continued impact is due to the passion and generosity of people who believe no Texan should face leukemia alone. Volunteers, survivors, corporate and financial leaders, physicians, philanthropists, and a deeply committed Board of Directors all rally behind the same mission: helping Texans beat leukemia through patient aid, research, and innovation.
The organization was founded by M.T. “Buddy” Minyard, who established it in memory of his wife, Clairene, after she passed from acute leukemia in 1967. His vision was clear: create a nonprofit dedicated to fighting this devastating disease while supporting patients and their families.
More than fifty years later, that vision has grown into a statewide force for good. Leukemia Texas has awarded over $10 million in research grants and delivered direct aid to thousands of patients across Texas.
Keeping Funds Where They Matter Most
Leukemia Texas is the only organization in the state supporting cancer patients that ensures every dollar raised stays in Texas. This commitment allows the organization to provide immediate, practical support to leukemia patients of all ages and backgrounds.
Through the Leukemia Texas Patient Aid Program, eligible families can receive direct financial aid to help offset the overwhelming cost of treatment, transportation, hospital visits, specialized care, and other essentials. In 2024 alone, the organization issued 137 patient aid checks, providing support to those who need it most.
Yet financial aid is only one piece of the support system they offer. Leukemia Texas also fosters hope and connection through its Buddy Cares Program. With a $25 donation, supporters can send a 12-inch plush Buddy Bear to bring comfort during long hospital stays or volunteer to assemble Buddy Packs, care packages filled with blankets, socks, journals, and other comforting items.
In 2024, 155 Buddy Packs, 65 Buddy Notes, and 8 Travel Buddy Suitcases were delivered to leukemia patients across Texas, offering small gestures with a profound message: you are not alone.
The Bowmans: A Lifelong Commitment to Patients
Among those championing the mission are Dr. Paul Bowman and his wife, Lois, who have served on the Board of Directors since 2022 and as Co-Chairs since 2024. Dr. Bowman has dedicated his career to caring for children with leukemia and advancing treatment through clinical research.
“Leukemia is a group of cancers of the blood and bone marrow,” Dr. Bowman explains. “These diseases can happen at any age, and we at Leukemia Texas want to make sure that wherever someone is in their treatment, we can offer a helping hand.”
While acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood leukemia, has seen increased survival rates worldwide, Dr. Bowman emphasizes that every diagnosis, even with a good prognosis, brings tremendous challenges. “Economically, physically, emotionally, spiritually—leukemia impacts the entire family,” he says. “Our goal is to support parents and caregivers so they can remain active partners in their loved one’s care without the overwhelming burden of cost.”
Dr. Bowman joined Cook Children’s Hospital in 1982, specializing in childhood leukemia and leading clinical research to improve outcomes. Several years ago, he met a patient whose parents introduced him to Leukemia Texas and encouraged him to attend the organization’s signature fundraiser, the BEATLEukemia Ball. He and Lois attended their first Ball in 2007 and were deeply moved by the families' stories and by Leukemia Texas's dedication to helping patients and their families.
“Leukemia doesn’t just impact the patient. It affects entire families and the complex challenges they are facing,” Lois recalls. “We wanted to take some of that weight off their shoulders.”
In 2014, the Bowmans brought the beloved fundraiser from Dallas to Fort Worth, where the community welcomed it with open arms. This past year marked the event’s 20th anniversary.
“We were amazed by the support in Fort Worth,” Lois says. “The leadership and community that stepped up when we moved the fundraiser were incredible.”
John’s Story: A Family Forever Changed
One of the many families touched by Leukemia Texas includes a little boy named John, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age three in 2024. Previously a healthy child who visited the doctor only for routine checkups, John began to feel unusually warm one June evening. His parents, Aaron and Paris, brought him to Cook Children’s Urgent Care, hoping for simple answers. X-rays showed his lungs were clear, and they were sent home.
But by the next morning, John’s fever spiked to 104.7 degrees, and Paris struggled through the night trying to bring it down. When they took him to his pediatrician, bloodwork revealed something alarming: John had no normal white blood cells. He was immediately sent to the Cook Children’s Emergency Room for urgent evaluation.
“I wasn’t outwardly worried at first,” Aaron recalls. “But when hours passed with no results, I knew something was wrong. We later learned the doctors had run the tests again and again, trying to confirm the unthinkable.”
Eventually, a hematologist-oncologist entered the room with the news no parent ever wants to hear.
“We felt like outsiders on the 5th floor Oncology Inpatient Unit,” Aaron says. “Sick children were playing, families were having Fourth of July parties, and we were there with our baby boy, hoping, praying, that we didn’t belong. But it was cancer.” The tests confirmed that John had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Finding Connection Through Leukemia Texas
After the diagnosis, a friend encouraged Aaron and Paris to contact Leukemia Texas. That introduction led them back to a former church friend who had once cared for John as a newborn, and who had faced her own daughter’s leukemia diagnosis when she was just two.
The family soon discovered more unexpected connections. Aaron realized he had known the daughter of the Leukemia Texas Co-Chairs for years, and even John’s oncologist had once worked with his nurse in the very clinic founded by that same chair.
“These connections reminded us we weren’t walking this journey alone,” Aaron reflects.“We were surrounded by people who understood exactly what we were going through.”
Support When It Matters Most
When John was first diagnosed, the family’s home AC system broke during the Texas summer heat. Leukemia Texas stepped in, providing a grant to help pay for repairs and delivering John a custom Spider-Man suitcase for his many hospital stays.
Support continued during the holidays. Partnering with generous local donors, Leukemia Texas surprised the family with Christmas gifts that filled their living room wall-to-wall.
“We were living day to day—doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, no future planning,” Aaron remembers. “That Christmas was overwhelming in the best way. I’ll never forget that generosity.”
Since October 2024, John has officially been in remission. He finished intensive treatment this past May, and even though he faced some setbacks getting into the maintenance portion of his treatment, John started kindergarten this year.
“We are still working through the challenges of missing out on socialization for a year, but John is thriving in school and getting to be around other kids again. He still has about a year and a half of monthly treatment, and we are still on high alert for any fevers or illnesses, but life is settling into a new normal, and we are finally able to breathe again,” says Paris and Aaron.
Strength in Community
John’s journey is just one of thousands shaped by Leukemia Texas. Through Patient Aid, the Buddy Cares Program, and vital research funding, the organization ensures Texans feel supported during some of the most challenging times of their lives.
“You’re not alone,” Aaron shares. “This journey isn’t easy. Trust your medical team. Ask questions. Seek out resources. And when you’re able, share. When you see another family on the 5th floor getting the worst news of their lives, go to them. Build community. Support them just as someone once supported you.”
Hope That Stays in Texas
Every dollar raised by Leukemia Texas stays in Texas, directly supporting patients and research here at home. It’s a place where families find relief, hope, and belonging during the hardest chapters of their lives.
To learn more, donate, or volunteer, visit leukemiatexas.org.
Together, we can beat leukemia.