Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Adams.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I live a life dedicated to giving back to others and providing platforms of change. I am a sixteen year childhood cancer survivor of Stage 3 Nephroblastoma. I have chosen to use my story as a profoundly powerful vehicle by which I have made a real impact. My own experience has given me an informed perspective valuable to others facing hardships. I devote my energy to the cause on a local, regional and national scale, actively advocating to promote awareness, research funding and support for families affected by cancer.
In 2019, my family and I founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit H.U.G.S. 4 Childhood Cancer, which has made an enormous impact through advocacy, awareness, and family support. In 2022, we received a grant from the Alabama Department of Public Health and CDC, to support the non-profit’s efforts. I have provided hundreds of care packages to families across the nation, customizing with toys, encouragement cards, tiaras, superhero capes, and a teddy bear. Additionally, I have worked with ADPH and the Alabama Media Group to create public awareness videos and articles in educating the public on the realities of pediatric cancer, which has reached millions of Alabamians. I use social media, podcasts, and public speaking to amplify the cause. I have participated in over 225 media (radio and television) and print media interviews viewed across the country with outlets such as Huffington Post, Good Morning America, FOX News, New York Times, and AL.com. Serving as the University of Alabama Homecoming Queen allowed me to reach my campus of 40,000+ students with the importance of supporting pediatric cancer initiatives. I have hosted awareness days at local schools, restaurant percentage nights, and campus collaborations. In March I hosted an amazing Golden Gala, with over 150 attendees, raising nearly $20,000, working with 50+ sponsors, and most importantly honoring 13 local childhood cancer families. I have been working to bring together all the non-profits in the state who touch childhood cancer by creating an Alabama Alliance for Childhood Cancer. I have led the group discussion and established a mission for future collaborations.
I have lobbied tirelessly on Capitol Hill over 150 times, as well as across the state of Alabama to raise awareness. My work has reached other state legislatures, helping secure over $120 million in state research funding across seven states. I was instrumental in ensuring that pediatric cancer was included in Alabama’s CDC-mandated State Action Cancer Plan. My involvement extends to working directly with government leaders, including Governor Ivey, Senator Allen, the Lieutenant Governor, among many others, to ensure that the voices of Alabama’s pediatric cancer families are heard in the state legislature. I have secured a statewide proclamation in Alabama as well as local proclamations for childhood cancer awareness month in September for the past six years. As a National Ambassador with the American Cancer Society’s Gold Together for Childhood Cancer initiative, I have raised over $50,000 through various community events and social media campaigns. In collaboration with Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels program, I have raised over $30 million in research grants aimed at discovering innovative treatments for pediatric cancer. I have never wavered from my commitment to giving back.
In the fall of 2025, I was approached by Bell Asteri Publishing, an industry leader in children’s health literature. Beating the odds of the publishing world, where only 1–2% of authors secure a contract, I channeled my own experiences into my debut children’s book, The Crown of Courage. The story follows Lily, a young girl battling cancer, whose bravery causes a magical fairy crown to glow brighter with every step of her journey. The Crown of Courage was published in May and is available through 45,000 retailers across six continents. It can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and libraries across Alabama’s 67 counties, with themed activity kits currently in development to bring the story’s magic to life for young readers everywhere.
I previously served as Miss Florida’s Teen 2019 and 2020, making over 200 appearances and winning the national Service Award. As a five-time local titleholder in the Miss Alabama Organization, I represented all corners of Alabama and gave back to those communities. This past year as Miss Shelby County 2026, after placing first runner-up at Miss Alabama 2025, I made 106 appearances across the state and was recognized by Miss Alabama with the Most Appearances Award. From visiting schools to engaging at community events and speaking at local organizations, my mission as the titleholder was to promote a love of service, as my life exemplifies.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the greatest challenges I have faced in my life was childhood cancer. In May 2009, I was diagnosed with cancer at five and a half years old. I was getting ready to go into my ballet class when my Mom noticed a slight bulge in my side. That night, I woke up with a high fever and we went to my pediatrician the next day, who knew something was wrong. After bloodwork and scans, they thought it was a cyst. Then came another scan — and we were told to come to the hospital immediately. We had just moved to Houston nine months earlier. Luckily, MD Anderson Cancer Center was in our new backyard.
I remember sitting in that hospital room, watching the doctor speak quietly to my parents, and knowing from their faces that something was very wrong. He explained I was one of nine kids in the world diagnosed with a rare form of Stage 3 Nephroblastoma — a softball-sized tumor wrapped around my left kidney.
I began asking questions no child should ever have to ask: “How did I get this? Will I lose my hair?” “Can I still dance?” “Am I going to survive?” My days of swimming, playing with dolls, and attending school were replaced with hospital visits and trying to comprehend why cancer was now a part of my new normal. My childhood was taken away in an instant.
Within a week of my diagnosis, I began chemotherapy and received a picc-line. A few months in, doctors told us I’d need eight hours of surgery to remove parts of five organs consumed by cancer. As they began the surgery, they came out to speak with my parents and they said they found that the scans were wrong. They only needed to remove a nickel size part of my diaphragm, my entire left kidney, and of course the tumor. After surgery, I endured more chemotherapy totaling 28 weeks, radiation treatment, and two blood transfusions.
When I was first diagnosed, I did not understand why this horrible thing was happening to me. As I grew older, I have realized how cancer forever changed my life; it taught me to never give up in the face of adversity, outward appearance does not define true beauty, the importance of maintaining hope, and the value of every day. I am grateful to say that sixteen years ago, I was declared cancer-free! Today, I continue annual checkups and scans to monitor for possible reoccurrences. That journey gave me my life’s purpose: advocating for the childhood cancer community.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Professionally, I work in politics and government. I have interned in the U.S. House of Representatives twice and last fall interned in the White House with the Offices of the Second Lady and Vice President of the United States. I have also gained experiences interning for a lobbying firm in the Alabama State Capitol and currently work part-time for a communications and events firm, Surepoint Strategies.
In my non-profit work, I strive to encourage families and kids who are going through the most difficult time of their lives facing childhood cancer, I truly walk beside them and what a beautiful thing to witness! When I meet a child who is diagnosed with cancer, they relate on such a deep level and believe “If Hannah got through this, I can too.” I am able to be a voice for children facing cancer, ensure their stories are shared, and ultimately be a giver of hope.
As the Advocacy Lead for the American Cancer Society Gold Together for Childhood Cancer, I spearhead the training and mentorship of fourteen youth ambassadors. Through my leadership, these young advocates have gained the knowledge, confidence, and tools needed to engage in advocacy and fundraising initiatives effectively. My influence extends far beyond my individual contributions, multiplying my impact through the empowerment of others. In the Miss Alabama Organization, I actively reached students and titleholders to help discover their individual stories and ways they could impact our state. As a Graduate Assistant at the UA Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership, I meet with college students to guide them in involvement opportunities and career choices.
I consistently seek ways to uplift others, using my voice and talents to advocate for those who need it most. I hope to serve with genuine compassion, humility, and a deep sense of purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hannahleeadams.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahleeadams/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.adams.806358/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahleeadams
- Other: https://www.hugs4childhoodcancer.org
