When a child is diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, families face an uphill battle against a rare and aggressive cancer. Thanks to a new $97,500 grant in partnership with D-Feet Cancer – The Dalton Fox Foundation, researchers like Dr. Christopher Kuo at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are bringing hope to those families.
This funding will fuel Dr. Kuo’s work to uncover new ways to treat Ewing sarcoma, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for kids facing this disease. The grant also honors the memory of Dalton Fox, a young boy from Virginia Beach whose life continues to inspire action and progress in childhood cancer research.
Specifically, Dr. Kuo’s research aims to uncover how Ewing sarcoma tumors interact with and evade the body’s immune system. By studying the tumor microenvironment, an intricate network of cancer and immune cells, this work will shed light on the mechanisms driving tumor growth and resistance. Using advanced mapping techniques and cutting-edge models developed at CHLA, Dr. Kuo will analyze tumor and immune cell behavior in real time. This research could lead to more effective, immune-based treatment strategies for children battling this aggressive cancer.
“I’m grateful to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and D-Feet Cancer – The Dalton Fox Foundation for supporting my innovative research into Ewing sarcoma, a particularly challenging and aggressive pediatric cancer. Losing my brother Stanley to osteosarcoma – a rare bone cancer – profoundly shaped my life and inspired my commitment to this work. I am deeply dedicated to making discoveries that lead to safer and more effective therapies for this devastating disease,” says Dr. Kuo.
D-Feet Cancer’s commitment to advancing research and improving treatment options is deeply personal.
Founded in memory of Dalton Fox, D-Feet Cancer – The Dalton Fox Foundation is committed to raising awareness of Ewing sarcoma and other under-studied pediatric cancers, and to funding research that will lead to safer, more effective treatments. Dalton was just 9 years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in his left leg. Over the next three years, he faced surgeries, chemotherapy, an amputation, and multiple relapses with remarkable grit, humor, and a contagious smile that lit up every room. Even during the toughest days, he found ways to make people laugh — telling kids his missing leg was the result of a “shark attack,” naming his prosthetic “Larry,” and teasing nurses by asking for “20 bucks” when they offered help. Dalton passed away at age 12 in 2021, but his spirit continues to inspire the Foundation’s mission: to advance research, improve treatments, and support families so that more children can survive and thrive.
Left: Dalton wearing his Papa’s favorite college football swag. Middle: Dalton is an honorary barber at a St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event. Right: Dalton enjoying a peaceful day by the water.
“We promised Dalton, just before he passed away, that we would continue fighting this awful disease for kids just like him,” shared Jen and Will Fox, Dalton’s parents and D-Feet Cancer founders. “Our supporters’ generosity allows D-Feet Cancer to continue to make good on that promise and fund Dr. Kuo’s innovative research in partnership with St. Baldrick’s Foundation. At what would be the start of Dalton’s junior year of high school, we look forward to a day where diseases like Ewing sarcoma can be treated using modern targeted therapies and afflicted children get the chance to grow up and lead long and healthy lives.”
Some serious dedication at a recent D-Feet Cancer Golf Tournament.
In that same spirit of hope and determination, the Foundation invites the community to join in its mission through upcoming events. To honor Dalton’s legacy, D-Feet Cancer – The Dalton Fox Foundation will host its 4th annual D-Feet Cancer Golf Tournament on October 10 in Virginia Beach, Va., and the D-Feet Cancer Gala on February 21, 2026, in Norfolk, Va. For more information about these upcoming events, visit the D-Feet Cancer event page.
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