Cristian Rivera Foundation May 2025 Newsletter/Why We Went Gray In May

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Join us in honoring children with D.I.P.G.—the deadliest childhood brain cancer—and help turn awareness into action, and hope into change.

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. We Go Gray in May for D.I.P.G.

D.I.P.G. is one of the most aggressive and fatal childhood brain tumors. These children deserve better.

D.I.P.G. Warriors Alexa Huber and Emiliano Bermejo have reached an extraordinary milestone — five years of living with D.I.P.G.

Less than 2% of patients reach this point, and they’ve done it with incredible strength. We are beyond proud of their journey so far. Their fight isn’t over — and neither is our support.

CRF Board Member and Artist Danny Cortes recently brought his signature miniature and urban art to Paris, showcasing his work at the Urban Art Fair and turning heads on the international stage. Check out the highlights here.

Our Founder, John Gungie Rivera, had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Michelle Monje, Stanford neurologist, professor, and leading D.I.P.G. researcher. Her groundbreaking work in CAR-T cell therapy plays a vital role in finding a cure for D.I.P.G.

Check out the feature here!

Happy Mother’s Day from the Cristian Rivera Foundation!

To all the amazing moms—thank you for your love, strength, and selflessness. To those who’ve lost a child to D.I.P.G., our hearts are with you. And to our CRF moms, especially brave Warrior Alexa Huber—your courage inspires our fight.

Thank you to BTIG for having us at their charity day this past Tues for the third year in a row. A HUGE thank you to retired NY Knicks, the great Stephon Marbury, for representing CRF. Stephon did an amazing job representing us, we couldn’t be more grateful. Special shoutout to NY Yankees Jazz Chisholm, Actor Patrick Dempsey, Actor Alec Baldwin, NY Knicks Legend Walt Clyde Frazier, and Retired NY Knicks Allan Houston for coming through a representing their various foundations and for caring so much.

Last but not least, a huge NY Yankees thank you to NY Yankees manager Aaron Boone for remembering D.I.P.G. Warrior, Emiliano Bermejo. The New York Yankees accommodated Emiliano last year in Mexico City so he could attend an exhibition game between the Mexico baseball team and the game. Our founder was blown away that Aaron Boone remembered Emiliano. Thank you, Aaron.

Dr. Mark Souweidane

May 7th

Happy Birthday to our incredible medical partner, Dr. Mark Souweidane! Your unwavering commitment to finding a cure for D.I.P.G. inspires us every day. We’re so grateful for the difference you’re making in the lives of so many.

From all of us at CRF, we wish you a happy birthday. Without your support and gratitude, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish what we do here. Your dedication means the world to us.

We Love You 10!

Our angels are members of our community who have lost their difficult battles against D.I.P.G. They will always be a part of the CRF family and in sharing their experience with D.I.P.G. we hope to amplify the urgency to find a cure. We work in honor of our angels so that no other child will lose their life to D.I.P.G. again. Let us honor our May Angel birthdays and Angelversaries. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones.

These angels will never be forgotten.

Please Take A Few Minutes To Watch The 4 Videos Below

Sincerely,
Cristian Rivera Foundation