Our Why
Nicholas Richard Collins
2019 – 2022 • A superhero in every sense of the word
A Life That Changed Everything
Nicholas Richard Collins was a bright, vivacious toddler — the kind of child who fills a room with light. His diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) came like a thunderclap: sudden, devastating, life-altering.
The Nicholas Richard Collins Superhero Foundation exists because of who he was, and because of what his family chose to do with their grief. They chose action. They chose hope. They chose to fight, in his name, for every child who faces what Nicholas faced.
From Diagnosis to Legacy
Every chapter of Nicholas's journey has shaped the mission of this foundation.
A Late Night That Changed Everything
It was a late night phone call from his pediatrician that woke his family. The doctor told them to get Nicholas to the ER — his bloodwork had returned with alarm. The fair skin and bruises, hoped to be hallmarks of a vivacious toddler, turned out to be harbingers of a deadly disease. That phone call shattered their world into life before and after cancer.
"That phone call shattered their world into life before and after cancer."
Ten Months of Hope and Courage
Nicholas fought AML Leukemia with a spirit that defied his age. For ten months, his family stood by him through every treatment, every hospital visit, every hard day and hopeful morning. He was barely three years old, but he was a superhero in every sense of the word.
Just Before His 3rd Birthday
We lost Nicholas just before his third birthday. The grief was — and remains — immeasurable. But grief and love are two sides of the same coin. What the Collins family chose to do with that love would become the foundation's story.
"Love and grief have been poured into Nicholas's Foundation."
A Foundation Is Born
From that grief, the Nicholas Richard Collins Superhero Foundation was established. The first annual memorial golf tournament became a gathering of community — friends, family, and strangers united by a yellow awareness ribbon and a determination to fight back. Every dollar raised goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
$122,000 to Dana-Farber and a First Pitch at Fenway
In 2025, NRCSF donated $122,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — directed to pediatric AML research and bereavement services for families. In September 2024, Henry Bowman, our NRCSF 'pitching ace,' threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park, kicking off Childhood Cancer Awareness Month on one of baseball's grandest stages.
"On September 6th, 2024, our foundation stood on the field at Fenway."
The Mission Continues
Each year, the foundation grows. The annual silent auction, new events, and an expanding community of supporters keep Nicholas's memory alive and his impact growing. We are committed to this fight until no family ever receives that late-night phone call.
What Is AML Leukemia?
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers in children, with a five-year survival rate that remains frustratingly low.
AML accounts for approximately 20% of childhood leukemias. Unlike its more common counterpart (ALL), AML has seen far less research investment — which is exactly why Nicholas's Foundation directs every dollar to pediatric AML research at Dana-Farber.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centers. Their pediatric AML research programs are working to find better treatments, earlier detection, and ultimately a cure.
Pediatric AML Research
Funding novel treatment protocols and clinical trials specifically for children with AML.
Bereavement Services
Supporting families through grief counseling and community programs after the loss of a child.
Family Support Programs
Helping families navigate the emotional and financial burden of a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Every dollar raised by NRCSF goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — one of the world's leading cancer research centers — targeted specifically at pediatric AML research and bereavement services.
$122,000 donated in 2025
to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & Jimmy Fund
Join Nicholas's Mission
Every donation, every shared post, every participant in our events — all of it carries Nicholas's name forward.
Donate in Nicholas's Name