Tre's Story

The heart of the foundation. Personal, honest, and powerful

Meet Tre

Tre is a joyful, resilient little boy whose journey inspired the creation of this foundation. He is proof that even the hardest roads can lead somewhere meaningful — and that one family’s pain can become another family’s lifeline.

One of many hospital stays during Tre’s cancer journey. While battling neutropenia and a viral respiratory infection, he continued to show the resilience, courage, and joy that carried our family through the hardest days.

The Diagnosis

In September 2025, our family received news no parent ever prepares for. Our son Tre was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a rare and aggressive form of childhood kidney cancer.

What made it harder was this: there were no obvious signs. Tre wasn’t in pain. He wasn’t acting differently. He was just our little boy, living his life. Until one day, we noticed a unilateral bulge in his abdomen that just didn’t look right. That observation changed everything.

What followed was a many surgeries, chemotherapy, scans, and fear that is nearly impossible to put into words. Our entire lives shifted overnight. We were suddenly learning medical vocabulary we never asked to know, navigating a healthcare system that moved fast, and trying to hold it together for our son — and for each other.

What We Wish We Had Known

Hemihypertrophy is closely linked to syndromic kidney malignancies, including Wilms tumor. Children with this condition carry a significantly elevated risk of developing kidney cancer and are recommended to receive routine abdominal ultrasound surveillance every few months.

We know now. And we are committed to making sure other families know before a diagnosis forces them to.

Why 'Check the Kidneys'?

Many parents know to check temperatures, monitor milestones, and attend wellness visits. Far fewer understand the importance of kidney health — or the warning signs that may indicate a serious condition. Tre’s story is a reminder that awareness matters. Sometimes the most important diagnosis begins with simply knowing what to look for.

Tre's Courage

Through chemotherapy, surgery, and recovery, Tre continued to smile, laugh, and remind everyone around him what courage truly looks like. He never asked to be a symbol of strength, but he became one anyway.

His strength inspired us to ensure that no family faces these challenges alone. Every program we build, every family we reach, every conversation we start about pediatric kidney health exists because of him.

This smile is our why

A Message From Tre's Parents

“We created this foundation because we believe every family deserves access to information, support, and hope. Our goal is simple, to transform one child’s cancer journey into a lasting source of impact for others.”

TRE'S CHECK THE KIDNEYS
FOUNDATION, INC.