Rebels Fight Cancer is a student-led 501(c)(3) founded at Great Neck South High School. We run fundraisers, card drives, and speaker events, and the money we raise goes to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Less than 4% of federal cancer research funding goes to childhood cancer. For kids with cancer, that gap can be the difference between a clinical trial existing and not existing.
Rebels Fight Cancer is a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our chapters run events, fundraisers, and awareness drives, and we send the proceeds to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, which funds research on experimental treatments for kids. Our first chapter is at Great Neck South High School, and new chapters are opening as students bring the club to their own schools.
Aayan Alwani
Aayan is a junior at Great Neck South High School. He co-founded Rebels Fight Cancer because of a long-running interest in cancer research and biology, and wanted to put that interest toward something that helps kids directly. He works on growing the organization: finding local businesses to host our fundraisers and getting students at other schools involved with pediatric cancer.
Oliver Won
Oliver is a senior at Great Neck South High School. He co-founded Rebels Fight Cancer to combine his experience in leadership and service with a cause that could mobilize his school community. He coordinates fundraisers, card drives, and awareness events that support pediatric cancer research. Outside the organization, Oliver serves as president of Great Neck South DECA, teaches piano, and volunteers with Tzu Chi USA as a team leader and English tutor.
Olivia Lee
Olivia is a passionate rising senior at Great Neck South High School with experience when it comes to business, content writing, and community engagement. She first got involved with Rebels Fight Cancer because she wanted to help others around her, but eventually that love grew into a passion for empowering others to make a difference in their communities. Through Rebels Fight Cancer, Olivia has discovered how powerful it can be to bring people together around a cause that matters, and she hopes to continue using her creativity, leadership, and voice to create meaningful change.
Fundraisers, card drives, and talks we've run at Great Neck South and around Long Island.
Upcoming Sunday, June 14, 2026 With the Sunrise Association
At Sunrise Day Camp Long Island in Wheatley Heights. We're walking with the Sunrise Association to raise money for free summer camp for kids with cancer and their siblings.
Event details
Nov 15, 2025
Our local Chipotle donated a share of every order that night to our NPCF team.
Recap and photos
Dec 2 and 4, 2025
More than 500 handmade cards over two days, with Project: LIFE and the GNS Pre-Med Club.
Recap and photos
Dec 9–13, 2025
A week of popcorn sales at school, with all proceeds going to NPCF.
Recap and photos
Dec 15, 2025
Julia Kane and Bonnie Flatow of the Sunrise Association spoke at the GNS Library about pediatric cancer.
Recap and photos
Dec 16–18, 2025
Sold in the main lobby before and after school, $2 for one or $3 for two. Proceeds went to NPCF.
Recap and photos
December 2025
A candy cane sale at school to finish the fall semester of fundraising.
Recap and photosPosts from the team about pediatric cancer, where donations go, and how we run our chapter.
Field note · 3 min read
We made more than 500 cards in two days. Here's what a card can and can't do for a kid in a hospital bed, and why we keep running these drives.
Read post
Explainer · 4 min read
Less than 4% of federal cancer research funding goes to childhood cancer. Most of that gap comes from how grant money gets prioritized.
Read postExplainer · 5 min read
Where does a $2 candygram end up? We traced it from our cashbox to a pediatric clinical trial.
Read postExplainer · 4 min read
About 10,500 American kids are diagnosed with cancer every year. Calling that rare affects how the disease gets funded.
Read postPlaybook · 5 min read
What we did to start our chapter, in order: finding an advisor, picking a board, running a first event, and connecting with NPCF.
Read postYou can join the chapter at your school or start a new one. Either way, send us a message on Instagram first.
If your school already has a Rebels Fight Cancer chapter, come to an event, help run a fundraiser, or take on a leadership role. There's no application and no minimum hours.
DM us to joinIf there's no chapter at your school yet, you can start one. We'll send you our starter kit, introduce you to NPCF, and share what we learned in our first year so you aren't starting from scratch.
Get the starter kitDonate through our NPCF team page, come to one of our events, or tell a friend about us.
Donations are processed by give.nationalpcf.org (team #774854).
