When you walk into the Roswell Park pediatric wing, you can feel it immediately — the support, the comfort, the intentional kindness. It’s the kind of energy you can’t fake. And at the center of it are two women whose journeys couldn’t be more different, yet somehow align perfectly: Megan Crawford, the Pediatric & Young Adult Program Manager, and Madison Auten, the Diversionary Program Coordinator.
They work to guide families through one of the hardest chapters of their lives, when a child is diagnosed with cancer or a blood disorder. Together they wear many hats, but at the center of what they do, they find the calm in the chaos, the joy in the heaviness. They’re people who show up, every single time.
Auten’s connection to the program began long before she joined the staff.
“When I was eight years old, my family and I volunteered at Carly’s Crossing,” Auten said. “A few years later I started raising money to participate in the swim. That’s how I first heard about Carly’s Club.”
She later returned to volunteer at the Courage of Carly holiday party, wrap gifts and assist at events. Those experiences shaped her interest in a career rooted in purpose.
“I knew I wanted to do something meaningful and make real connections with families,” Auten said. “I didn’t want a typical 9-to-5.”
Crawford’s path was less direct but equally driven by a desire to support others.
“My degree is actually in exercise science, so nothing at all related to what we do,” Crawford laughed. “I worked at Disney World for a bit, then came home and got involved in youth programming. Those experiences showed me how powerful it can be to create magical moments for children, something that continues to shape the work I do today.”
A personal connection also influenced her direction.
“One of my dear friends in high school was diagnosed with brain cancer,” Crawford said. “That was my first real exposure to childhood cancer. She passed away, and I learned a lot about advocacy and the need for research. It’s meaningful to carry on her legacy in the work I do.”
Crawford has watched the Courage of Carly Fund evolve significantly since she started in 2018.
“When I first started, we had just launched our joint venture with Oishei Children’s Hospital,” she said. “Now we’ve built a community for patients with sickle cell disease, thalassemia and other blood disorders.”
The program is continually adapted based on patient needs, trends and family feedback.
“We try to figure out what works best for different age groups,” Auten said. “If an event shines, we bring it back. If it doesn’t, we revamp it or let it go. Our goal is always to help families make connections with others who understand their journey.”
The patient population shifts often, which requires constant re-evaluation of programming.
“Our population ebbs and flows,” Crawford said. “We’ve had waves of pre-K girls, then pre-K boys, then high school boys and so on. Times change, needs change and the program has to evolve with that.”
For Auten, the most rewarding moments come from following families through their full treatment journey.
“I’ve now seen kids ring the bell who started treatment when I first began working here,” Auten said. “Watching their journey from the start to where they are now is huge.”
Crawford has seen many of the same transformations over her seven years with the program.
“It’s remarkable to watch kids go from being diagnosed in pre-K to becoming middle schoolers,” Crawford said. “We even have young adults now in med school or going into other allied health professions because of what they experienced.”
Those successes are powerful. But the difficult moments are equally defining.
“It’s hard to boil it down to one experience,” Crawford said. “But when we don’t have those victories — when families experience the absolute lowest moments — it reinforces why this work matters. It reignites the passion to advocate for better research, better cures and better awareness.”
Nothing compares to the strength they see in patients and their families everyday.
“Me getting out of bed in the morning is small potatoes compared to what these kids go through day in and day out,” Auten said.
Auten sees courage in the way families keep moving forward.
“Courage is taking what you’re given and going with it day in and day out,” she said. “Even on the tough days.”
Crawford expressed a similar outlook.
“Courage is showing up, whatever that means for you,” she said. “Every day you show up is a victory.”
Both staff members look to the families they serve for inspiration.
“I learn from these families every day,” Crawford said. “They’re dealt the toughest cards in life, yet they carry it with grace. You don’t have to know everything to be there for someone — you just have to be present.”
Crawford also expressed deep reverence for the roots of the Courage of Carly Fund.
“I feel an immense responsibility and honor in carrying on Carly’s legacy,” she said. “If she were here today, she would be giving her all for everyone who walks through those doors. You owe it all to one little girl with courage over 25 years ago.”
Crawford and Auten bring different strengths to their roles, but share a unified mission: to create joy, comfort and connection for families navigating pediatric cancer and blood disorders.
Their partnership reflects the heart of the Courage of Carly Fund, an organization built on resilience, hope and everyday courage.
