Tae-León Butler was just nine years old when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The active childhood she enjoyed as a Girl Scout was abruptly paused. In its place came tests, chemotherapy, procedures, and fear. Only a fourth-grade student at the time, Butler was asked to show a level of courage that would prove challenging even for an adult.
Thanks to the quiet strength of her family and a care team that never stopped believing a cure was possible, 20 years later, Butler now walks the same hospital corridors she did as a child, except she now wears a white coat. Today she is Dr. Butler, and she’s not only cancer-free but also a physician and resident at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.
Here at Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, we believe that to be truly effective, childhood cancer care needs to be comprehensive. That’s why our revolutionary Biomedical Lifecycle Model connects research funding, workforce pipelining, and survivorship care into one holistic approach.
Childhood cancer research helped save Dr. Butler’s life. Now she’s looking to pay it forward, pursuing her dream of becoming a pediatrician and, one day, a leader in pediatric oncology. Her story is a shining example of the Biomedical Lifecycle in practice: yesterday’s pediatric oncology patient becomes today’s pediatric oncology care provider giving shape to tomorrow’s cures.
A Full-Circle Moment Few Get to Experience
Every day at UCLA, Dr. Butler cares for children and families facing diagnoses that feel overwhelming and unfamiliar. She recognizes the look in a parent’s eyes. She understands the fear behind a child’s questions. She knows the weight of waiting for test results. She has been there.
In an extraordinary full-circle moment, Dr. Butler now works alongside the very physician who once oversaw her care, PCRF-supported researcher Dr. Theodore Moore. In addition to being a professor of pediatrics, chief of pediatric hematology/oncology, and director of the pediatric blood and marrow transplant program at UCLA, Dr. Moore is also Dr. Butler’s mentor. The child he once treated is now the doctor helping to carry his life’s work forward.
That valuable work would not be possible, however, without the generous support of private donors through initiatives like Dribble for Victory Over Cancer.
Created by PCRF in partnership with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, Dribble for Victory Over Cancer is a nationwide movement where participating college men’s and women’s basketball teams host events at their schools, during which individuals, families, and clubs have the opportunity to meet college basketball players, coaches, and alumni while dribbling basketballs along short on-campus courses.
Since 2008, UCLA and other participating schools have collectively raised over $3.2 million for childhood cancer research, providing critical funding support for investigators like Dr. Moore and Dr. Butler.
Dr. Tae-León Butler and Dr. Moore at the 2025 UCLA Dribble for Victory Over Cancer
Why and How Dr. Butler Continues to Advocate
Dr. Butler believes in PCRF’s vision because she has seen both sides of the childhood cancer journey firsthand. She understands what families endure. She knows how urgently less toxic and more effective treatments are needed along with mental health and survivorship resources.
Dr. Butler’s lived experience shapes the way she practices medicine. Empathy drives her interactions. She sits at eye level with her patients. She explains. She listens. She cares. She even rehearses dances for social media with them when the occasion arises. Most importantly, she carries a quiet promise into every room: I know this road and there is hope ahead.
In addition to participating in a research study with Dr. Moore at UCLA, Dr. Butler has developed Cancer Crusher, a therapeutic board game designed to empower pediatric oncology patients and their families through play. Cancer Crusher will become available to hospitals and families on September 8, 2026 — the exact 20th anniversary of Dr. Butler’s own cancer diagnosis. Visit healthherogames.com to learn more.
Dr. Butler is living proof that the emphasis PCRF’s Biomedical Lifecycle places on investing in research and comprehensive care does more than save lives. It multiplies them by turning survivors into healers.
Hear Dr. Butler’s Story at PCRF’s Illuminated Gala
Dr. Butler’s story is not just about resilience. It’s also about research and care. The treatments that saved her life were made possible by years of scientific discovery, clinical trials, and investments in childhood cancer research from organizations like PCRF. Because of that research, Dr. Butler did more than just survive. She thrives. And now she has the opportunity to serve.
PCRF is excited for Dr. Butler to share her story as the keynote speaker at our Illuminated Gala at Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, CA, on October 24, 2026. You are invited to join us for an unforgettable evening and hear more from Dr. Butler. Click here for additional details about PCRF’s Illuminated Gala and to purchase your tickets or table.
Dr. Butler’s story is a testament to the brighter futures that are possible when science and community come together. It is an example of what can be achieved when pediatric cancer care is truly comprehensive, as outlined in our Biomedical Lifecycle Model. Last but not least, it is a promise of the better world we are building, one where all children facing childhood cancers can overcome their disease and achieve their full potential so they can enjoy happy, healthy, and productive futures.
This is what unstoppable looks like.