When Randy Moss sat down with Children’s Cancer Research Fund for an episode of Chasing10, he discovered a story that began long before CCRF became a national leader in childhood cancer research.
It began with Katie Hageboeck.
In 1979, 13-year-old Katie was diagnosed with leukemia. Her family quickly learned how serious her illness was.
“She had the highest white blood cell count they’d ever seen at the University of Minnesota,” said Diana Hageboeck.
But even while facing her own cancer journey, Katie was thinking about other children who needed help. She wanted to make a difference for kids like her – and she made a decision that would leave a lasting legacy.
Katie donated the $141 she had saved for a red 10-speed bicycle to a newly created fund supporting children with cancer.
It was a small gift with an extraordinary purpose.
That act of kindness became the foundation for Children’s Cancer Research Fund, inspiring decades of work to accelerate innovative research and support children and families facing cancer.
While learning Katie’s story, Randy was struck by the impact of one young girl’s generosity – how a simple gesture from a child could bring together researchers, families, donors and advocates around a shared mission.
“We’re not just chasing 10. We are chasing a cure. I’m part of this team now,” Randy shared.
For Diana, that connection represents exactly what Katie’s gift was meant to create.
“You are a part,” Diana told Randy. “And wouldn’t Katie love to know how everyone has bonded just because she gave her bike money.”
More than four decades later, Katie’s legacy continues to inspire hope. Her gift was not defined by its size, but by the compassion behind it – a reminder that one person’s generosity can create change that reaches far beyond what they ever imagined.
Today, Katie’s spirit lives on through the researchers working toward better treatments, the programs supporting families and the countless people who continue to believe in a future where better is possible and a cure is within reach.
