“This is a war I am in to win.” Amber Miller’s Mission to Fight Cancer

Not many people are willing to dedicate a large part of their life to fighting cancer, but Amber Miller is.

After losing her grandmother to cancer, and having most of her family members touched by the disease, Amber began volunteering for the American Cancer Society. For a decade, she then worked as the Regional Relay for Life Manager for ACS, and then became the Development Director at the National Kidney Foundation.

As she was seeking a new chapter in her life, she came across an open position for CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. She was compelled to look at the organization’s website, to review its annual reports and delve deeper into its focus on children’s cancer research.

Words to live by.

Amber liked that CureSearch was focused on getting better, less toxic treatments to children with cancer NOW, especially through its Catapult initiative.

“Any organization willing to fund treatments that would otherwise never be considered, and to catapult them to make an impact now…that led me to apply for the position.”

And before we knew it, Amber joined the CureSearch family as the Regional Manager, Development, for the Northeastern Superheroes Unite! events.

Proudly wearing a Love Your Melon beanie.

For Amber, she believes that it is our job to love and protect children. While some companies with big money are supporting the most visible cancers and research, she is proud to be part of one that supports the very underfunded pediatric cancer research space, because children – who are all superheroes – are the future.

She knows firsthand because she had the pleasure of speaking with many young superheroes during her years working with cancer patients. She remembers one fondly:

“Eden stole my heart. She told me that she was like a star – some are brighter than others and some stay lit longer than others. She then said the important part is to see the bright star when it is lit, then remember how brightly it lit up the sky. To that little superhero, I thanked her for letting me watch her shine.”

Painted by a child on J5, the oncology wing, at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “I’ve had it for more than a decade. It brings me joy and gives me hope.”

Her advice to all superheroes is to be bright, be beautiful, be daring, and to shine on. She hopes to convey this message at the Superheroes Unite! events she is managing this year.

When she’s not fighting for young superheroes with CureSearch, you can find Amber listening to all types of music, or mentally forming faces out of the lights, mirrors and other shapes she sees on moving cars (if you see her driving and laughing, it’s likely she has a good view in front of her). She’s also learning to breathe better with the thought of seeing her children grow up – one is heading to college and the youngest is now driving.

The Miller family at a football game.

We’re very lucky to have someone with such passion for fighting cancer to join CureSearch, and we can’t wait for her to showcase her enthusiasm at her Superheroes Unite! events.