Austin Hatcher Foundation to Host Celebration of Life and Hope Gala on September 12, Supporting Families Facing Childhood Cancer
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (March 12, 2026) - The Austin Hatcher Foundation will host its 19th annual Celebration of Life and Hope Gala on Saturday, September 12, 2026, bringing the Chattanooga community together to support families impacted by childhood cancer.
Held each September in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser welcomes hundreds of local business leaders, donors, and community members to its Educational Advancement Center at 1705 S. Holtzclaw Ave.
The semi-formal evening includes family testimonials, live and silent auctions, live music, specialty cocktails, and dinner, with proceeds supporting the Foundation’s free programs for pediatric cancer patients, parents, siblings, and survivors.
Early bird tickets will be available beginning in late June.
Honoring the Pineda Vázquez Family
This year’s gala will honor the Pineda Vázquez family, whose journey reflects both the challenges of childhood cancer and the power of compassionate support. Originally from Mexico, Sonia and Luis moved to Chattanooga in 2020 for work, expecting to stay only two years- but quickly embraced the opportunity to make it their permanent home. In December 2021, their son Jesús, then 10, began showing subtle signs that something was wrong. After initial misdiagnoses, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a rare form of T-cell leukemia. The news was sudden and overwhelming.
“To me, I thought cancer meant death,” Sonia recalls. “It was a long process to accept the reality.” Luis adds, “Where we come from, having cancer almost always ends in loss.”
Through treatment, Jesús showed remarkable resilience, finding joy in the things he loved: Star Wars, Legos, music, singing, Harry Potter, and family game nights with his sister Tania, who also enjoys gymnastics, superheroes, and Taylor Swift. In May 2025, Jesús celebrated a major milestone — ringing the bell to mark the end of his treatment — a moment the family remembers as a turning point.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation has been a consistent presence throughout their journey, providing counseling, therapeutic programming, educational support, and family-centered activities that continue long after treatment.
“We believe it was the hand of God that put us in the right place at the right time,” Luis says. “The Foundation provided care, counseling, and joyful experiences that made all the difference for our family — not just for Jesús, but for all of us.”
Community Leaders Chair 2026 Event
This year’s gala will be co-chaired by longtime Foundation supporters Daniel and Carol Yim.
Carol Yim serves on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and is an active volunteer in family programming, while also helping introduce new supporters through community-led fundraising efforts. She will chair the event alongside her husband, Daniel Yim, president of Kobayashi Consumer Products in Dalton, Georgia.
“We are honored to be chairing the Celebration of Life and Hope event this year,” said Carol Yim. “This event is a cornerstone for the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, and we are so grateful to be working with such wonderful committee chairs and volunteers to make this a successful event.”
Gabrielle Sanders will serve as Auction Committee Chair, with Becca Levine leading decorating and food planning efforts.
Supporting Families Beyond Diagnosis
Funded entirely through donations and community events, the Austin Hatcher Foundation provides free, lifetime support to families facing childhood cancer. Services include mental and behavioral health counseling, academic support, peer connection, and family-centered programming designed to address the long-term effects of cancer on parents, patients, and siblings.
Get Involved
The Celebration of Life and Hope Gala is known for its exciting live and silent auctions. The Austin Hatcher Foundation is currently accepting auction donations ranging from gift cards and experiences to travel packages and vacation stays.
To donate an auction item, contact Sarah Anderson at Sanderson@hatcherfoundation.org
Event sponsorships are available now. Businesses are invited to explore sponsorship opportunities at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ahffpc/
Follow the Celebration of Life and Hope on Instagram and Facebook for event updates.
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Media Contact:
Katey Koon, Director of Marketing & Communications – katey@hatcherfoundation.org
About the Austin Hatcher Foundation
The Austin Hatcher Foundation is a nationally recognized leader in psycho-oncology care, providing innovative, evidence-based services for families facing pediatric cancer. Through a holistic approach, the Foundation supports the emotional, mental, and social well-being of children, siblings, and parents—ensuring families have the resources to heal and thrive during and after treatment. Learn more at hatcherfoundation.org.
