Survivor Spotlight: Cora Fuller
June is National Cancer Survivors Month, and we’re sharing stories and insights from survivors in our CARES community. Cora Fuller was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was just four years old. Her older sister McKenna participates in Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer® Nashville to honor Cora, and has raised over $11,000 since 2022.
Cora Fuller in early 2026
Thank you to Cora’s mom, Kate, for sharing your story to inspire hope and raise awareness about the importance of continued investment in cancer research.
What were your biggest challenges during your treatment?
Learning to pivot quickly. If Cora had a fever, it meant an automatic ER visit to get labs and run a blood culture. Sometimes this meant a hospital admission. It was difficult to plan anything.
Did any treatments or trials in your care come from cancer research?
During Cora’s treatment, Blinatumomab/Blina was cleared for use as a frontline immunotherapy drug for leukemia patients. Up until that point, it had just been used on patients who relapsed and in trials. It was cleared at just the right time when Cora would need it in her frontline treatment. This immunotherapy drug will be drastically beneficial in helping Cora not relapse.
Has surviving cancer changed your outlook on life?
The Fuller Family at Scott Hamilton & Friends in 2025
We don’t take life or a moment for granted anymore. We soak it all up. We’ve also always been a family who believed in God and went to church, but going through cancer grew our faith and trust in God. We no longer take life for granted or our faith in God for granted.
What message would you share with someone diagnosed with cancer?
It’s really easy to feel isolated and alone when you get diagnosed with cancer or have a loved one who gets diagnosed. I promise, you’re not alone. So many people are walking through it, too, or are willing to help. It’s so important that you find your people. Pray every single day. Start a gratitude journal and list five things every day that you’re thankful for, even if they’re simple things like, “I woke up this morning.”