CLIMB THE HILL DAY

The most effective advocates for kids with cancer are kids

Climb the Hill* Day

* That’s Capitol Hill, of course

Climb the Hill is Kids v Cancer’s youth advocacy initiative.

In Kids v Cancer’s Climb the Hill events, kids who are patients, survivors, siblings and friends meet with Congressional offices to tell their stories of pediatric cancer.

Kids educate Senators, Representatives and their staff by telling their stories of cancer. Kids ask Members of Congress to care.

Their unique experiences make them the experts on how proposed policy, legislative, or regulatory change could impact children with cancer. Kids are powerful and lawmakers and their staff listen.

Kids v Cancer trains kids on: the legislative process, what pediatric cancer bills are before Congress, how to tell their stories and how to conduct a professional meeting. We put kids into small groups and provide them with maps and meeting times.

Want to join us?

We seek kids who are patients, survivors, siblings and family, and friends

Climb the Hill Days occur throughout the year, in-person and on zoom
Leave your parents at home
Change the world
Ready? Email : jenn@kidsvcancer.org and

Need a refresher on how a bill becomes a law?

Kids then go to their meetings and conduct their meetings without adult chaperones. Members of Congress and their staff have a direct and authentic meeting with kids who are powerful, articulate and who have something to say.

Kids who participate in our youth advocacy initiative report that the experience is a powerful one for them. But that isn’t the reason Kids v Cancer runs this program. We send kids in to advocate for pediatric cancer for the simple reason that kids are the most effective advocates for their cause.

Only 2% of all bills introduced into Congress are passed into law. Kids v Cancer has championed two laws so far, and is now working on a third. Our secret weapons are kids who know about pediatric cancer and who ask Congress to care.

What is it like to advocate on Capitol Hill?

In 2023, over 300 kids Climbed the Hill. In addition, Kids v Cancer is honored to have partnered with the following organizations, whose kids have Climbed the Hill

Climb the Hill Youth Advocates

Over 300 kids participate in the Kids v Cancer CLIMB THE HILL days every year, in-person and by zoom

Kids v Cancer’s Climb the Hill Youth Advocates have in-person and zoom meetings with Members of Congress and their staff without adult supervision or chaperones by teachers or Kids v Cancer staff.

Kids are led by their peers, Youth Advocates who have extensive experience in Climb the Hill Days and who been specially trained to serve as Youth Leaders.

Youth Leaders schedule and lead the meetings, by themselves or with other Youth Advocates. Youth Leaders tell their stories, help other kids tell their stories, answer policy questions and document the meetings for Kids v Cancer staff.