May 8th, Childhood Mental Health Awareness Day, is a date I will never forget. This year, it wasn’t just a day marked by awareness campaigns—it was a day marked by action. Alongside an incredible delegation from Candlelighters and our Young Adult Advisory Council, I was honored to meet with several of Nevada’s most compassionate and committed legislators. We spoke from the heart about something that is often invisible yet deeply urgent: the mental health crisis facing children, especially those diagnosed with or impacted by childhood cancer.
The Silent Struggle Behind the Smiles
While statistics help tell the story (like how depression and anxiety among young people increased by 40% in the decade leading up to the pandemic), they don’t show the full picture. They don’t reveal the internal battles waged by a young child undergoing chemotherapy or the isolation felt by a sibling watching from the sidelines, unsure how to help or process what’s happening.
For children and teens with cancer, the mental health toll is staggering. Studies show that nearly 75% of these children experience PTSD symptoms during or after treatment. Another found that nearly half meet the clinical criteria for anxiety, depression, or both.
How Candlelighters is Responding
At Candlelighters, our mission is to provide emotional support, quality of life programs, and financial assistance to families facing childhood cancer. But to truly support our families, we must go beyond the diagnosis and consider the emotional and psychological aftershocks that ripple through every aspect of their lives.
Mental health is not an add-on; it’s a core part of healing.
This is why, on May 8, we sat down with Assemblymembers Danielle Gallant, Tracy Brown-May, and Selena Torres-Fossett, as well as Senators Rochelle T. Nguyen and Jeff Stone, to advocate for real, systemic changes. We asked for their support in increasing the number of youth-specialized mental health professionals in our state. We explored ways to expand peer-based support programs like Candlelighters Connect. And, we emphasized the need to elevate youth voices through initiatives like our Young Adult Advisory Council.
Youth Voices Are Not Just Important—They Are Essential
One of the most powerful moments of our day came when Wendy Linares, a member of our Young Adult Advisory Council, shared her story. As a bereaved sibling, Wendy spoke about the invisible emotional weight carried by those who love someone with cancer. Her words, rooted in personal experience and resilience, reminded us all that mental health care must be broad, inclusive, and youth-led.
Wendy’s leadership, along with that of her fellow Council member Mallory Carvalho, reflects a truth we hold dear at Candlelighters: young people should be leading the conversation about what they need.
Too often, policies are created without input from the very people they are meant to serve. Our Young Adult Advisory Council exists to change that. These courageous individuals, many of whom have faced childhood cancer themselves or supported a loved one who has, bring irreplaceable insights to the table. Their voices can shape more compassionate, effective, and targeted mental health services.
Legislators Are Listening—and That Gives Us Hope
We are grateful to our Nevada legislators for opening their doors and, more importantly, their ears and hearts to the Candlelighters community. Their willingness to engage with us signals a shift toward real partnership in creating better mental health support systems for our children and families.
As Kimberly Kindig, our CEO, so clearly stated during our visit: “Improving mental healthcare and support in Nevada is imperative.” Nevada consistently ranks low in national healthcare support metrics. But we can change that narrative—together.
What Comes Next
This visit was not a conclusion; it was a beginning. Candlelighters is committed to continuing these conversations, advocating for resources, and building solutions that bridge the gap between what families need and what’s currently available. From specialized mental health professionals to youth-led initiatives and community-based support systems, we’re aiming for a Nevada where no child—and no family—faces the mental health impact of cancer alone.
Because keeping families whole isn't just about treating cancer. It's about treating the trauma, the fear, and the long road to emotional healing that follows. It's about creating a future where children not only survive but thrive.
