Fight Like the Averys
F.L.A.G. Grant
The Uncle Kory Foundation (UKF) Fight Like the Averys Grant (FLAG) Program provides funding to support innovative pediatric brain cancer research. The program is designed to help investigators launch new research initiatives, generate preliminary data, and advance promising projects toward future external funding.
FLAG Grants provide awards of up to $50,000 for an initial one-year project period. Investigators who demonstrate satisfactory progress may be considered for a second year of funding of up to $50,000, contingent upon progress, available funding, and approval by the Uncle Kory Foundation.
The Fight Like the Averys Grant was established in honor of Kalea and Noah Avery, who both lost their lives to medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Their legacy, together with the unwavering advocacy of the Avery family, continues to inspire efforts to increase awareness and expand funding for pediatric brain cancer research.
Although pediatric cancers account for a significant burden of childhood disease, they receive only a small percentage of research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Together with the Avery family, we are committed to raising awareness of this critical funding gap and supporting innovative research that will improve outcomes for children diagnosed with brain cancer.
Since the program's inception, the Uncle Kory Foundation has awarded $350,000 in FLAG Grant funding in honor of the Avery family to advance research focused on medulloblastoma and other pediatric brain cancers.
The 2027 FLAG Grant application period will open on February 1, 2027, with applications accepted through March 1, 2027.
To learn more about eligibility, application requirements, and important deadlines, please visit our FLAG Grant Details page.
If you have questions about the FLAG Grant Program or the application process, please contact the Uncle Kory Foundation.
The Avery family knows the true meaning of the word fight.
When parents Duncan and Nohea Avery learned that their seven-year-old daughter, Kalea, had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, they were prepared to face the unimaginable. Just thirteen days later, their five-year-old son, Noah, was diagnosed with the same disease. In an instant, the Avery family found themselves fighting for both of their children.
Throughout their journey, the Cancer Support Community South Bay provided comfort, resources, and unwavering support. As Nohea has shared, pediatric cancer is not the same as adult cancer and remains critically underfunded.
"So much more research needs to be done for better and safer treatments for these little bodies. That's why foundations and events like the Tour de Pier are so important." — Nohea Avery
Despite their incredible courage, both Kalea and Noah experienced a recurrence of their cancer. Sweet Kalea passed away on September 1, 2022, and Noah ("Nono") passed away on December 16, 2022.
Their legacy continues to inspire our mission to fund research, support families, and fight for a future without pediatric brain cancer.
Funds raised through the Uncle Kory Foundation and Tour de Pier advance critical pediatric brain cancer research while helping provide support programs that ensure no family has to face this journey alone.
Fight Like the Averys.