What if... you step outside of your comfort zone?

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Last week we shared how this year began with curiosity: a question, a hope. A desire to see what might happen if we stepped forward. When curiosity grows, it leads to action. And bold, brave action becomes adventure.

Brave Friends has always been about inclusion, about giving kids with complex medical conditions the chance to do the things their peers often take for granted. Not because they need to prove they are brave, but because they already are. They simply need places where adventure is safe, accessible, and shared with the people who love them most.

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This year, we saw children scale new heights on rock walls. We witnessed kids float in a wind tunnel with smiles so big the instructors paused to take them in. We watched Brave Kids throw out the first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game. And just last weekend, we hosted 100 Brave Kids, friends, siblings, and families at Main Event in West Chester.

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We saw friendships strengthen, families breathe easier, and joy ripple from one child to the next. We saw volunteers show up early and stay late, corporate partners step up, and our Brave Family grow.

This was the year that adventure became contagious. Through it all, we found ourselves thinking this is what every child deserves: laughing, trying new things, meeting challenges head on, seeing possibility instead of limitation. And every Brave Friends event reminded us that courage grows when we walk beside each other. When we give each other a little love and a lot of belief.

Next week, we’ll share about a special kind of four-legged joy we found this year.

Be Adventurous. Be Brave!

In Courageous Gratitude,

John Otten

CEO and Co-Founder, Brave Like Me Foundation

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Do you know a Brave Kid who could benefit from our Brave Friends Adventures? Click here to complete an application.