When Megan Webber, Co-Founder of KnowTheGlow, and Helene Dameris, Director of Global Outreach, met with Javier Galván, they encountered a man whose life has been shaped by personal loss and transformed into extraordinary purpose. Javier is the founder of CANICA, a Mexican foundation that has supported children with cancer and their families for the past 22 years. His story is one of transforming trials into determination, and of a vision that continues to expand far beyond the borders of Mexico.
Javier’s path began with tragedy. His father died of cancer, and not long after, his 12-year-old niece passed away from a brain tumor. These painful losses fueled his resolve to make a difference for other families facing similar struggles. For more than 26 years, Javier has dedicated himself to pediatric cancer care and advocacy, and in 2003 he formally established CANICA to give families the guidance, resources, and community he wished his own had known.
From those beginnings, CANICA has grown into a national presence with centers in Guadalajara, León, San Luis Potosí, and Puerto Vallarta. Just this year, inspired by connections forged through trips to Paris, Javier launched CANICA Francia, marking the foundation’s first chapter outside Mexico. For six years, CANICA has also promoted the Mexican Network of Organizations to Help Children with Cancer, strengthening collaboration and amplifying advocacy at a national level.
Javier’s leadership extends beyond Mexico. He is a key voice in Childhood Cancer International Latin America (CCI LATAM), which has brought foundations together annually for 18 years. He works closely with leaders such as Marcela Zubieta, Nubia Zúñiga, Pilar Carbonell, Mónica Gana, Alexandra Matus, Teresa Fonseca, and Cleofás Arriola, among others representing countries across the region. Together, they are building bridges between organizations, uniting efforts to improve care, awareness, and early detection.
During the meeting, Megan and Helene shared KnowTheGlow’s mission to spread awareness of leukocoria, “the glow,” as an early sign of retinoblastoma. Javier immediately recognized the importance of including this message in his networks. He suggested that Spanish-language resources on leukocoria could be shared not only on the CANICA website, but also across CCI LATAM and Alianza Mexicana platforms. He even proposed recording stories of children with retinoblastoma to help bring the message to life for families across Latin America.
The discussion also turned toward collaboration at the CCI LATAM Conference in Rio de Janeiro in May 2026. Javier and Megan explored possibilities for KnowTheGlow to work alongside Javier’s friends in the region to bring about more awareness of early detection in Mexico and throughout Latin America.
For Megan and Helene, the meeting was a powerful reminder of how much can be achieved when organizations share their strengths. They were inspired by Javier’s resilience, his decades of dedication, and his vision for CANICA as a movement that continues to grow and inspire families around the world.
As Javier reflected on his own journey, it was clear that his work is not only about fighting cancer but also about building a community of hope. With CANICA, he has created a lifeline for countless families in Mexico and beyond. Now, through the potential of further collaboration with KnowTheGlow and other regional partners, his mission to protect children and empower families continues to expand. His work through CANICA is a testament to what is possible when personal tragedy is transformed into collective strength.
