Parents honour daughter’s memory with life-changing charity

A young US family has transformed the most tragic of circumstances into a well of hope for families battling childhood cancer.

Bree and Luke Rowand from California lost their young daughter Kylie Elizabeth to cancer after she spent half of her life fighting the disease.

"She was the light of everybody's life," Ms Rowand told US TODAY.

"Everyone who met her fell in love with her."

Diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma at only 19 months old, Kylie’s parents began to realise there was something wrong with their daughter after she stopped acting like her “joyful” self.

"I remember hearing this bloodcurdling scream, and it scared me," Mr Rowand said.

"We couldn't console her."

After a series of tests in the emergency room, doctors uncovered the worst.

“All I had to do was look at the scans and I thought, ‘no,no,no’

“She had tumours all over her face,” Ms Rowand recalled.

What followed for the little girl was a tremendous battle – ten surgeries, two brain bleeds and countless biopsies.

To help them get through the ordeal, Mr and Mrs Rowand shared Kylie’s brave journey on a Facebook page called, “Prayers for Kylie”.

Soon after, the page was flooded with support for the family and Kylie.

Inspired by the support, the Rowands set up a charity to keep their daughter’s memory alive following her death in February last year – and have already given away more than US$130,000 (AU$178,354).

They donate gift baskets packed with toys, and even pay mortgage bills and provide petrol and grocery cards to families with kids battling cancer.

"You're trying to save your child's life. You shouldn't have to worry about where you're going to get your food or whether you'll lose your house," Ms Rowand said.

"Kylie will forever be implanted in our family no matter what," Mr Rowand told US TODAY.

"I never knew how much I could truly love somebody until my daughter was born."