What happens when a healthy 8-year-old boy begins tripping, falling, and experiencing double vision? For Katie and Nick Macri, and grandparents Tim and Maggie McNiff, these early warning signs led to every family’s worst nightmare: a diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive tumor located in the brainstem.

In this emotional episode of Believe in Progress, brought to you by the AACR Foundation, we sit down with the family of John Paul (JP) to discuss their journey through diagnosis and treatment.

Part One introduces us to JP and his family. Katie and Nick recount the heartbreaking timeline from subtle symptoms to the harrowing moments of receiving the diagnosis. They discuss the devastating nature of a tumor located in the pons region of the brainstem and the "state of unknowing" that follows such news. We also hear from JP’s grandparents, Tim and Maggie, on dropping everything to support their grandchildren, and how the family navigated difficult conversations with JP’s older brother, Luke.

Part Two focuses on the incredible resilience that defines JP’s journey. The family discusses their decision to pursue a clinical trial involving CAR T-cell therapy at Seattle Children’s Hospital to preserve JP's quality of life. The conversation shifts to the power of community—from a neighborhood Nerf war to the James Madison University football team adopting JP as an honorary captain. Finally, Nick and Tim discuss their initiative to accelerate research through the "M3 database," an AI-driven project designed to speed up data sharing for pediatric brain cancer.

This is a story about cancer science and a little boy who refuses to let a dire diagnosis define his spirit.

Featured Guests

Katie and Nick Macri – John Paul’s parents

Katie and Nick share their raw and honest experience navigating pediatric cancer, balancing full-time work with cross-country travel for treatment, and relying on their deep faith to carry the burden of the unknown.

Tim and Maggie McNiff – John Paul’s grandparents

Tim and Maggie offer the perspective of the extended family "village." They discuss the role of grandparents in a crisis and their work to support logistical and scientific initiatives to help their grandson.

Key Topics:

Part One – The Diagnosis and The Family Unit

• Early Warning Signs: Identifying subtle symptoms like redness in eyes, head tilting, and loss of balance

• The Diagnosis: Understanding DIPG and the initial prognosis

• Sibling Impact: How JP’s older brother Luke is processing the illness and the attention surrounding it

• The Power of Vulnerability: Why Nick and Katie chose to be open on CaringBridge rather than keeping the diagnosis private

Part Two – Innovation, Community and The "Green Bracelet" Army

• CAR T-Cell Therapy: Choosing an innovative clinical trial over traditional chemotherapy to maintain quality of life

• The JMU Connection: How the James Madison University football team embraced JP, from the weight room to the coin toss

• The M3 Database: Nick and Tim’s effort to use AI and data centralization to help researchers share MRI and genomic data faster

• Community Support: How neighbors, colleagues, and strangers lift the family up daily

Take Action to Advance Cancer Science and Medicine:

If this episode moved you, here’s how you can take action to support families like the Macris:

• Donate to the AACR: Fuel lifesaving innovation at https://AACR.org/Give

• Check out the inaugural AACR Pediatric Cancer Progress Report, which highlights the advances and challenges in the field, at https://PediatricCancerProgressReport.org

• Support additional organizations that advocate for pediatric cancer research, including Tough2gether Foundation

• Follow along with JP’s story at CaringBridge

• Share this Episode: Help amplify the message that bold ideas and global collaboration can change the future of cancer care

• Subscribe to Believe in Progress: Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts

Production Credits:

Host: Mitch Stoller

Guests: Katie Macri, Nick Macri, Tim McNiff, and Maggie McNiff

Executive Producer: Anthony Lopes

Executive Producer: Michael Leary

Director: Anthony Lopes

Creative Director / Director of Photography: Michael Leary

Writer: Anthony Lopes

Editor: Michael Leary

Associate Producer: Heather Holland

Check out more episodes: https://AACR.org/BelieveInProgress

Believe in Progress is produced by CollegeCast LLC.