No Retreat, No Surrender

On July 6, 2008, when author Dena Sherwood first heard the devastating words, “Your son has neuroblastoma,” she never imagined that those words would later become a blessing to so many.

Dena prayerfully fought alongside her son, for three and a half years, to give him the best chance of beating the disease. A year after diagnosis, with God’s guidance, Dena founded Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation to fund less toxic treatments for children with cancer and to bring hope to other families fighting the battle. Her son underwent chemotherapy, radiation, four major surgeries, immunotherapy, and a phase one vaccine trial and was later declared NED (No Evidence of Disease). From living in fear to living by faith No Retreat, No Surrender chronicles how one family’s faith in the Lord has brought hope and help to so many.

In July of 2008, Dena Sherwood’s 13-month-old son Billy, Jr. was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma, a very aggressive cancer of the sympathetic nervous system. From that moment Dena has been working tirelessly to help all children diagnosed with cancer and their families. In August of 2009, she and her husband Billy, Sr. founded the Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation and began funding research and supporting families. In 2012, she co-founded The Truth 365 campaign as a way to give children with cancer a voice.

Since its inception, Arms Wide Open has funded more than 60 research grants around the country, some of which have led to life-saving trials. Dena lives in Marlboro, New Jersey with her three greatest blessings, her amazing husband and two children; Sydney and Billy, Jr. Billy, Jr. is now a two-time cancer survivor and an extreme lover of life!