The Sharon Bryan Open Arms Fund

Sharon Bryan and her family have a deep connection to CURE Childhood Cancer. After ovarian cancer suddenly took her from us in 2024, her family – husband, Bill, and three grown children, Courtney, Kathryn, and Kyle – chose to honor Sharon’s legacy of selfless love and quiet service by supporting CURE, where she was both a volunteer and later a staff member for nearly 20 years. Sharon’s devotion to CURE was born from her own experience as a mom supporting Kyle through his childhood cancer journey. As CURE’s first Patient and Family Liaison, she spent time at the hospital offering a warm smile, a shoulder to cry on, and a helping hand to families and children – she was the organization’s eyes and ears.

In 1997, Sharon’s 14-year-old son Kyle was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. She and Bill spent over two years helping Kyle fight for his life. And she was by his side for that entire time. Kyle is now cancer-free, a husband and father of two little girls.

During her time with CURE, Sharon noticed many parents were eating leftover scraps from their children’s hospital meals because they had neither the time nor the money to feed themselves. Because of this, she played a key role in expanding CURE’s Open Arms Meal program, which offers free meals and other essentials to the families of hospitalized children. She also proposed the Meal Bag and Snack Bag programs so that families had access to food 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In loving memory of Sharon L. Bryan, who devoted her life to children, including her precious six grandchildren, who adored their “Bebe” and will carry her in their hearts and towards their purpose in this life. To memorialize Sharon, her family created the Sharon Bryan Open Arms Fund to support families whose children are receiving cancer treatment, especially those experiencing financial hardship.

During her time with CURE, Sharon noticed many parents were eating leftover scraps from their children’s hospital meals because they had neither the time nor the money to feed themselves. Because of this, she played a key role in expanding CURE’s Open Arms Meal program, which offers free meals and other essentials to the families of hospitalized children. She also proposed the Meal Bag and Snack Bag programs so that families had access to food 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In loving memory of Sharon L. Bryan, who devoted her life to children, including her precious six grandchildren, who adored their “Bebe” and will carry her in their hearts and towards their purpose in this life. To memorialize Sharon, her family created the Sharon Bryan Open Arms Fund to support families whose children are receiving cancer treatment, especially those experiencing financial hardship.

Purpose of the Fund

Through the Sharon Bryan Open Arms Fund, hospitalized children with cancer and their caregivers receive meals that sustain them physically and emotionally while navigating the challenges of treatment.