The Monmouth Moms is excited to kick off a monthly series spotlighting incredible local charities and organizations in our community. We’re honored to begin with our first feature, Liv Like a Unicorn, a pediatric cancer foundation established by Olivia Grace Lipnicky. In 2019, Olivia was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, and dedicated the last months of her life to organizing fundraisers for children with cancer. Run now by her beautiful mother, Emma Lipnicky, Liv Like a Unicorn provides financial assistance to qualifying families faced with pediatric cancer, disperses ‘Unicorn Boxes,’ filled with treats for pediatric cancer patients, and has funded over $500,000 in research grants to top institutions across the country. Read more about Liv Like a Unicorn below, including how you can get involved, participate, and attend upcoming events with this incredible organization.
In February 2019, our world was shattered. We heard the words “Diffuse Midline Glioma” and were told our previously healthy 8 year old daughter had 9 months to live”. The summer Olivia was fighting her incurable cancer she organized her first fundraiser and Liv like a Unicorn was born. She raised over $10,000 to help fund the clinical trial she was a part of. All of this started with a child’s simple dream: kids deserved better. They deserved to live.
We have three main areas of support. Our Unicorn Box program is a care kit program for kids across the country undergoing pediatric cancer treatment. We ended 2023 with over 250 children enrolled, as well as partnering with 6 hospital pediatric oncology departments to have our boxes available for children who are inpatient.
Our financial assistance program helps cover the costs of cancer related expenses such as health insurance, travel expenses, food and everything in between. In the last quarter of 2023 we granted close to $50,000 to NJ and PA families undergoing pediatric cancer treatment.
We believe a family’s only worry should be taking care of their sick child. Pediatric brain tumors are now the leading cause of death by disease in children. Our foundation knows that real change will come from research.
To date we have funded over $500,000 in research grants to top institutions across the country.
We are hosting our first gala Friday, September 20th at the Raddison Hotel in Freehold. The theme for this year’s event, Silence is not Golden, is to raise further awareness on the lack of funding and support for pediatric cancer families. Collectively, our voices can influence real change, as we push for more research funding and advocacy for all of the children, and their families, impacted by pediatric cancer. Please join us this September as we raise our voices to continue spreading awareness for pediatric cancer families!
For ways to get involved, donate, or attend events, visit Liv Like a Unicorn’s website below.
