2023 KRB Giving Program Recipient - KAIGER PALAZZO

Kai Palazzo is the recipient of this year's KRB Giving Program honor. Kai grew up in Saint Charles, Illinois, with his mother, father, and two older sisters. As a child, Kai excelled at all things sports and was an excellent athlete. At Saint Charles North High School, he was a member of both the wrestling and baseball teams for four years. In 2022, he graduated from North and embarked on his collegiate journey to the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. In his first few months at Toledo, Kai began pursuing a Psychology major, exploring his passion for spreading mental health awareness and positivity. In addition, he joined the Toledo Division I Baseball Team as a walk-on and was preparing for the Spring 2023 season. In November of 2022, Kai began experiencing sharp pains in his back and spiked a fever. He was admitted to the ER at the University of Toledo Hospital, where the doctors found a mass in his chest. After rounds of testing, Kai was later diagnosed with Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma, a cancer that affects nerve tissue and is the third-most common cancer in children after leukemia and brain cancer. Over the past 4 months, Kai has fought hard each and every day to win the battle against cancer - inspiring his family, friends, and loved ones with his willingness to fight and his positivity through it all. Kai continues to meet each day with a smile on his face, putting the needs and emotions of those he loves over his own time and time again. The Kevin Boeckenhauer Family Foundation is honored to support Kai in his battle against cancer by naming him as this year's KRB Giving Program recipient. As Kai continues his fight, we aim to support him and his family through their experience. Let's find a cure, together.