Strength in every smile
The Rylee Grace Foundation carries Rylee's legacy forward, standing beside pediatric cancer families across Sacramento and Northern California with comfort, support, and joy.
Born from one family's love and loss, the Rylee Grace Foundation exists to make the hardest days a little brighter for children facing cancer and the people who love them.
When a child faces cancer, the whole family does too
When we lost Rylee, we knew her story could not end with her diagnosis. The Rylee Grace Foundation was born from our desire to honor the incredible way she lived and loved. Rylee had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, valued, and cared for, and we wanted that gift to continue touching the lives of others.
Our mission is to bring hope, joy, and meaningful support to children fighting pediatric cancer and their parents, through personalized wishes, mental health support, chemo sweatshirts and care packages, and help reaching lifesaving treatment. Every program we create is inspired by our own journey, and by the belief that even during life's darkest moments, compassion can change everything.
Rylee's legacy lives on in every wish granted, every act of kindness shared, and every family reminded that they are never alone.
The girl who taught us to cannonball
Rylee was full of light, courage, and a smile that stayed with everyone who met her. She faced more than any child should, and she met it with a spirit that still moves us today.
When Rylee passed away, her family chose to turn their love into something lasting. The whole Clark Family, Mike, Michelle, and Rylee's twin sister Reese, built the Rylee Grace Foundation so that other children and families would never walk this road alone.
Her motto guides us still: Life is short. Cannonball. Rylee left ripples in every life she touched, and those ripples did not stop when she did. They keep spreading through every family we serve.
Rylee taught us that life is measured by the love we share and the joy we create.Life is short. Cannonball!
The gaps we exist to fill
A cancer diagnosis touches every part of a family's life. We step in where families need it most.
Joy during treatment
Through Personalized Wishes, a detailed questionnaire learns each child's favorites, interests, and dreams so we can create one-of-a-kind experiences when they need them most.
Care for the whole family
Our Mental Health Support pillar connects children, parents, and siblings to Child Life services and therapy, because cancer affects everyone in the home.
Comfort that fits a hard day
Signature zip-up Chemo Sweatshirts designed for easy port access, plus care packages of comfort and practical essentials for the children we serve.
Help reaching treatment
Through our California Proton Family Assistance Program, we help provide up to six weeks of temporary lodging for families while their child receives proton radiation treatment at California Proton Therapy Center.
The Clark Family
The people behind the mission
Mike and Michelle Clark met in college and married in June of 2001. In 2006 they were blessed with two girls, Reese and Rylee. This foundation is family built and family led.
Michelle Clark
Michelle grew up in Danville and graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in Communication. After seven years as a corporate recruiter, she poured herself into her girls: room mom, PTA leader, student rights advocate, softball coach, and, after Rylee's diagnosis, her full time caregiver. She leads the foundation as CEO and President of the Board.
Mike Clark
Mike served six years as a police officer before building a career in financial services, rising to Regional Vice President and Managing Partner of two large California firms. Today he is Co-General Agent for MassMutual Northern California. A longtime nonprofit board member and softball coach, Mike manages the foundation's finances.
Reese Clark
Reese is a standout student-athlete who has served with multiple nonprofits supporting kids with special needs. She plans to play college softball and become a child therapist, a path inspired by her sister. A founding member of the foundation, Reese serves as Vice President of the Board.
Our Volunteers
A dedicated team of volunteers assembles care packages, supports families, and helps deliver comfort to local hospitals. The foundation runs on their hearts and hands, and there is always room for one more.
Learn about volunteeringCarry Rylee's legacy forward
Your gift brings comfort, courage, and moments of joy to a child facing cancer and the family beside them.
DonateIn the family's words
The Clark Family shares their journey, in the hope it helps other families feel less alone.
The Years Cancer Stole
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the entire family enters treatment, and no one leaves unchanged. “As I searched through thousands of photos,...
Read the full storyThe Quiet Ache of Moving Forward
For me, watching other senior moms mourn the loss of their “last baby” graduating gives me pause. Part of me feels their sadness deeply because I...
Read the full storyThe Trauma No Scan Can See
Let’s talk about trauma.Hydrocephalus. ER visits. CT scans. MRIs. Brain surgery. Recovery from invasive brain surgery. Nurses constantly around...
Read the full storyThe Day Everything Changed
Months and months went by before we truly received the gut-wrenching news of Rylee’s diagnosis. It began with phone calls from her school about...
Read the full storyGrief...Year 1....We love you and miss you Rylee
The giggles, the belly laughs, the fun, the cuddles, the hugs, the loves, the dance shows, the singing concerts in the family room, the sneaking...
Read the full storyRylee's Celebration of Life 2024
We started traveling to the kauai in 2015. It started with just my husband and I, and we instantly fell in love with the island. Who wouldn’t love...
Read the full storyFrequently asked questions
What is the Rylee Grace Foundation?
The Rylee Grace Foundation is a Sacramento and Northern California pediatric cancer nonprofit created in memory of Rylee Clark, who passed away in 2023 at age 16. We bring comfort, support, and joy to children facing cancer and their families.
Who does the foundation help?
We support children with pediatric cancer and their families, including parents and siblings, primarily across Sacramento and Northern California, plus families traveling to San Diego for proton radiation at CA Proton.
What programs does the foundation offer?
We run four programs: Personalized Wishes, Mental Health Support, Chemo Sweatshirts and Care Packages, and CA Proton Family Assistance for families traveling for proton radiation.
Who started the foundation?
The Clark Family started it in honor of Rylee. Mike, Michelle, and Rylee's sister Reese carry her legacy forward, supported by a team of volunteers.
Where is the foundation based?
We are based in Sacramento and serve families throughout Northern California. We also help families who travel to San Diego for pencil-beam proton radiation at CA Proton.
How can I support the foundation?
You can donate, volunteer, host a fundraiser, partner with us as a sponsor, or make an in-kind donation. Every gift helps bring comfort and joy to a child facing cancer.