Parent
Austen Prescott was on the edge of everything. He was graduating high school, stepping into adulthood, and then life changed without warning. A healthy, vibrant soccer player, Austen was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer, a disease that strips away the most basic functions and leaves families searching for hope. “Everything that I do now is easier than losing Austen,” Catherine says. Her words carry the weight of a year that tested every boundary of strength.
When Austen passed, Catherine refused to let his story end there. She and her family donated his tumor to research, helping scientists validate data that could lead to clinical trials for DIPG, one of the most aggressive pediatric brain cancers. “We couldn’t save Austen, but maybe we can save the next kids,” she explains. That commitment drives her advocacy and her team at the Dolphins Cancer Challenge – Team 620, named for Austen’s birthday. It’s a way to honor his life and push forward for others.
Catherine’s hope is clear: that DIPG will no longer be a death sentence, but a treatable condition. Until then, she walks for Austen, for the octopus that became his symbol, and for every child who needs a voice. “I know that we will find a cure,” she says. “It’s just a problem to be solved.”
Watch Catherine's full story here at Faces of the DCC.
