Infant cancer is rare—so rare that many physicians may never encounter it, especially outside of major centres. And because of that, parents are often required to step into a role they never expected: becoming the voice for a baby who can’t speak, and advocating within a system that is still learning in real time. In this conversation, I speak with Jackie Didio, mom to twin girls, Hannah and Maddie. Maddie was diagnosed with leukemia as a baby, and Jackie shares what it means to navigate treatment with instinct, confidence, and the willingness to question and push when something doesn’t feel right. When the condition is rare, your awareness as a parent matters - it has to.
We also talk about the dynamics of caring for a baby through cancer, how infancy can shape the roles of each parent, and the layered reality of raising twins while grieving the loss of one. I deeply admire Jackie - her clarity, her openness, and the way she has turned her experience into meaningful support for others. Through the Madelyn James Foundation, she and her husband provide wraparound care to families with babies aged 0–3, supporting them not just during treatment, but in the critical months after. It’s the kind of care our system often misses but our families so deeply deserve.
You can learn more about the Madelyn James Pediatric Cancer Foundation here https://madelynjames.org/
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