The sibling perspective on childhood cancer is often the least recognized; our guest Rachna Prasad is an example of hope, inspiration, and dedication to a greater purpose. Her brother Mithil was afflicted with DIPG, the second most common and the deadliest pediatric brain cancer. As Vice President of the Mithil Prasad Foundation, and her work helping other cancer siblings with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Rachna is an agent of hope within the DIPG community.
The Mithil Prasad Foundation is dedicated to supporting DIPG research and patients. It was formed in honor of Rachna’s brother Mithil Prasad who fought a fierce battle against DIPG with his diagnosis in 2015. During his fight, Mithil always told his family how they should help kids just like him. Since his death, the Mithil Prasad Foundation has raised close to $250,000 for DIPG research and patient care, funding 3 clinical studies and supporting over 40 patient families.
Rachna will be graduating from UCLA this June with a BS in anthropology, and is preparing to begin a masters in cancer biology this fall at the University of Zurich, with the goal of becoming a physician researcher. She is currently planning to launch a podcast called “Hear the Rare” to raise awareness for all aspects of the DIPG experience, and foster a sense of hope for all affected by this terrible disease.
