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About us

From humble beginnings...

Our story, mission, values, and the team that makes it all possible.

About Us

Meet Austin Hatcher Osborn

The Austin Hatcher Foundation was founded in December 2006 by Dr. James and Mrs. Amy Jo Osborn months after their son, Austin Hatcher Osborn, passed away from a very rare and aggressive form of brain and spinal tumors. After their son passed away, the Osborns turned their pain into purpose, and worked to address the lack of support in survivorship for the family of the diagnosed child. They opened the Austin Hatcher Foundation to help eliminate the negative side effects of pediatric cancer from diagnosis into survivorship. The Foundation not only treats the child suffering from diagnosis but the entire family that has been negatively impacted.

read more about "Hatch"

Written by Amy Jo Osborn, mother of Austin Hatcher and CEO of the Foundation:

In the summer of 2006, my husband Jim and I were living our lives as normal couples do, with the hopes and dreams of starting a family. On August 15th, our dreams had come true. On that day our Lord blessed us with a beautiful baby boy we named Austin Hatcher Osborn. We called him “Hatch.”

Born healthy, so we thought, we watched him grow and his personality bloom. Even at such a young age, Hatch was every Mom's dream baby. He was cuddly, loving, and a sleeper. He was perfectly content simply sitting and hanging out with Mom and Dad.

When he was seven weeks old, Jim and I had a charity event that we had hosted for four years, an annual event to raise money for children with pediatric cancer. Hatch, our wonderful baby, was with us that weekend, a weekend we have come to cherish.

The Monday after returning home, I started noticing that Hatch wasn’t acting normal. Not acting like himself consisted of being fussy and discontent, which, to some, is very normal for a seven-week-old baby. I took him to the pediatrician on Thursday and we were told that he might have a tummy virus. He seemed to be perfectly fine, just a little sick. So, I took him home and just babied him, giving him lots of fluids and lots of love. 

Sunday, October 8, we noticed that his left eye was deviated. Not knowing what it could be, I started calling everyone I knew. I was told that babies sometimes do that while they are learning how to focus, and again, it seemed to be okay. By 3 p.m. his eye had not moved much, so I panicked. I noticed that he wasn’t moving his left arm very much either and a horrible feeling swelled in my stomach. I rushed to call the pediatrician while Jim sat with Hatch.

Within a few minutes of explaining what his symptoms were, the pediatrician said, “Get Hatch to the emergency room. Go. Now.” In a state of panic and fear, we packed and hurried to the hospital. I remember crying the entire drive, thinking, “He is going blind.” That was the worst thing my mind would let me fathom.

Arriving at the hospital – where Hatch had been born only eight weeks earlier – Hatch was rushed in and doctors began immediately doing tests.  He was given a spinal tap, a CT scan, and a full regimen of antibiotics, but they could not figure out what was wrong. They had never seen these symptoms at such a young age. Sunday evening the results came back and nothing was negative, but nothing was positive either. Both tests showed a “not clear” reading. We waited through the night for the next day’s news and it was one of the longest nights of our lives. I remember feeling absolutely helpless. I knew there was something wrong but I didn’t know exactly what – and neither did medical professionals.

That next morning, Hatch had an MRI scheduled for 10 a.m. We carried him down and watched doctors put him under anesthesia. He was so innocent and precious. Waiting was even harder than the night before. We waited and waited and finally, they wheeled him out, our little tiny 12-pound boy on the adult-size bed. I just wanted to melt.

Being a physician at the same hospital, Jim knew where to find the MRI scans, so he left Hatch and me to find results. I went back to the recovery room with Hatch. Within 15 minutes, Jim came walking into the recovery room with a look of terror on his face. I kept asking, “What is it, Jim? What is it?”  He kept moving frantically asking the nurses if we could leave the recovery room. 

I persisted in asking what was wrong, and finally, he dropped to his knees and cried, “Hatch has brain tumors.”

​“What? What? No, no, no!,” I cried.  We just sat there balling our eyes out and holding and hugging Hatch. At that moment we left the recovery room to go back to our room. We were soon told that Hatch was going to be airlifted to the Children’s Hospital Cancer Center in Atlanta. Hatch’s condition grew progressively worse.

​I remember having the feeling that we would get through this. We have worked with children who have survived cancer for the last four years. I know Hatch is going to make it.

That evening Hatch was in Atlanta at Children’s. He was immediately taken to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). That night, Jim and I didn’t sleep a wink. At 6 a.m., we took him to get another MRI of his full body, not just his brain. Again, we had to watch him be put under anesthesia, and just wait. Things kept getting worse.

​Within a couple of hours, Hatch was back in the room and we waited for the doctor to show the results. We discovered that the tumors were not only in his brain but had spread down his spine. They had completely taken over his central nervous system and the only thing doctors could do was to get a biopsy to test if this cancer was benign or malignant. Within an hour, they put Hatch back under anesthesia and took him back for the third time in 24 hours. More waiting took place, but this time was even worse than the two times before. With hopes that this test would come back negative, we held each other crying & praying.

The thought of this as a bad dream swept over me. I wanted to crawl out of my skin and scream… That night, the reality of Hatch perhaps not surviving hit me hard. I have never felt so empty.

I never imagined this would be something that could happen to our son.

The very next morning the oncologist came to talk with us. He took us into this tiny room, telling us about options. He explained that from the biopsy it was confirmed that Hatch’s tumors were malignant. Not only malignant, the tumors were one the most aggressive and rare tumors children can get.

​He proceeded to tell us that the survival rate was less than 10% and that 10% are normally over the age of three.  Hatch was only eight weeks old. He explained how his type of cancer did not have many treatment options, and that he was too young to withstand most treatments. But, I felt that we had to do something.  There has to be something to fix this. We cannot just let him go. After hours of trying to understand that there was nothing we could do, we decided to take him home. An overwhelming feeling that we would not watch Hatch grow up consumed me. 

We brought him home on October 11, and, for seven days, we watched him lose all function in his tiny body.  On the morning of the 19th, Hatch took his last breath in Jim’s arms as I sat next to them on the floor. He was only nine weeks old, but he was the strongest little boy imaginable. The pain of this is nearly unspeakable, still. But that pain has created a deep desire to do all we can to help families journey from the infliction of this terrible disease...on all members of the family.

We know we can make a difference in the battle against this dreaded disease.

Baby Austin Hatcher
Mission + Vision

our mission

Our mission is to provide a lifetime of free, comprehensive support to pediatric cancer patients and their families through mental, behavioral, educational, and social services, so they can cope in the present and thrive in the future. 

In other words…
The experience of childhood cancer goes beyond diagnosis and affects every individual family member differently. All family members need unique solutions to the challenges they face. During and after treatment, the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is here to provide the solutions and walk through every step of a family’s recovery journey. All services are provided at no cost. 

our vision

Our vision is for every child diagnosed with cancer – and their family – to reach their full potential through education, balance, health, and well‐being.

Our Approach

Pediatric cancer impacts every aspect of a family’s life. The Austin Hatcher Foundation provides comprehensive, integrative care for childhood cancer patients, survivors, and their families — supporting cognitive development, emotional well-being, and essential life skills.

Through a unique blend of therapy, education, and psychological support, we address each family’s complex and evolving needs. Our goal is to help families build resilience, restore hope, and thrive through every stage of the cancer journey.

Every family deserves high-quality, no-cost care — not just during treatment, but for life. We’re here to ensure they have it.

Impact

Over the last 19 years, the Austin Hatcher Foundation has provided comprehensive care to over 90,000 individuals in 23 states and 42 children’s hospitals through mental and behavioral therapy, community-based health and education programs, and much more.

In 2024, AHF provided $4,593,421 in clinical services, totaling over $35 million in valued services provided since inception. All services are provided at NO COST to pediatric cancer patients and their families.

View our 2024 Impact Report

FAQs
1. Why do you provide services for the entire family, not just the child with cancer?
Cancer affects every member of the family—siblings, parents, and caregivers all experience emotional, financial, and psychological challenges. The Foundation’s programs ensure that each family member receives individualized care, including counseling, grief support, financial guidance, and life skills training, so they can navigate their cancer journey together and build resilience for the future.
2. How do you ensure all families have equitable access to care?
We eliminate financial barriers by offering all services completely free of charge, regardless of a family’s income or insurance status. Additionally, we address challenges such as transportation, childcare, and education disruptions to ensure that every child and family receives uninterrupted, high-quality support. Our comprehensive care model ensures that families have access to resources for a lifetime, not just during treatment.
3. Do you offer services to families in all states?
Yes–in fact, we’ve served families in more than 25 states! While some services are limited by geography due to licensure (such as mental health therapy, currently available in Tennessee, Georgia, and California) we provide nationwide access to educational support, academic coaching, and social and behavioral life coaching.

Families across the U.S. can also join our Hatch’s Hero program, which includes access to virtual resources, community forums, and mailed activity kits designed to support children and their families through every stage of the pediatric cancer journey.
4. How do these services impact the long-term well-being of pediatric cancer survivors?
Survivorship brings unique challenges, including cognitive delays, emotional trauma, and social reintegration. Our programs focus on long-term success, offering educational tutoring, vocational training, mental health support, and social skill development. By providing these resources at every stage of a child’s life—from diagnosis through adulthood—we help families not only survive but thrive beyond cancer.
5. Why is psychosocial support essential for children diagnosed with cancer and their siblings?
A childhood cancer diagnosis disrupts every aspect of a child’s life, from cognitive development and education to social relationships and emotional well-being. Many children experience learning delays, PTSD, anxiety, and depression due to prolonged treatments and isolation from peers. The Austin Hatcher Foundation provides free, evidence-based psychosocial care to ensure that children not only survive cancer but also regain confidence, rebuild skills, and thrive in all aspects of life.

Siblings of children with cancer often feel anxiety, sadness, and even guilt while adjusting to a family dynamic that prioritizes the ill child’s needs. They may struggle academically and socially due to stress and lack of attention. The Austin Hatcher Foundation provides dedicated sibling support programs, including therapy, academic resources, and social engagement activities, ensuring that siblings feel seen, supported, and empowered.
6. How do you help parents cope with the emotional and psychological impact of a child’s diagnosis?
Parents of children with cancer often experience trauma, stress, and anxiety, with many developing symptoms of PTSD. The Foundation supports parents through counseling, education, and family-centered care that helps them process their emotions, navigate post-treatment transitions, and develop coping strategies to support both themselves and their children.
7. How is your approach to care different from hospitals and medical institutions?
While hospitals focus on treating the acute medical condition, the Austin Hatcher Foundation is the only organization in the nation dedicated to providing free, lifelong psychosocial and rehabilitative care for the entire family. Unlike hospitals that focus solely on the patient’s medical treatment, the Austin Hatcher Foundation treats the entire family as a unit, recognizing that siblings and parents also endure emotional and financial hardships. Programs address family dynamics, stress management, and economic stability, ensuring that parents and caregivers are given the tools they need to support their child while also maintaining their own mental and emotional health.

This comprehensive, whole-family model of care simply does not exist anywhere else. The Austin Hatcher Foundation is breaking barriers, creating a blueprint for what pediatric cancer care should be—a place where healing extends beyond chemotherapy and radiation, where children and families are empowered, and where therapy is innovative, engaging, and truly life-changing.
8. Why is family-centered psychosocial care a critical part of pediatric oncology?
Cancer affects the entire family, not just the child diagnosed. Research shows that effective psychosocial care helps families adapt to the evolving challenges of treatment and survivorship. The Austin Hatcher Foundation takes an interdisciplinary approach, offering early assessments, individualized interventions, and ongoing support to ensure that each family member receives the resources they need to heal, grow, and succeed.
9. How does the Austin Hatcher Foundation raise funds?
Our services are funded entirely through private charitable contributions from individual & corporate donors, private & public foundations, and fundraising events. The Foundation's funding ensures that every child and family facing childhood cancer receives essential therapies and support at no cost to them.

These funds directly cover the costs of evidence-based therapies, educational materials, program supplies, and specialized resources needed to empower families to thrive beyond a cancer diagnosis.
By investing in the Austin Hatcher Foundation, our donors and corporate partners play a direct role in transforming lives, removing financial barriers to care, and ensuring that families receive the comprehensive support they need.