Growing up in south Louisiana on a small rice and crawfish farm, Brittany Franklin explored the area’s festival pageant scene. Her mom got her started, and at a cattle festival, she won her first pageant and through that, began spending time with kids diagnosed with cancer. Inspired to help kids facing the disease, Franklin launched Sky High for Kids at only 21 years old. Since 2007, the Houston non-profit has raised funds for groundbreaking cancer research and provides once-in-a-lifetime experiences to vulnerable children.
What inspired you to create Sky High?
“I had never been in a pageant in my life. It was a big surprise that I won that title, and that’s what launched me into volunteering. It was such an eye-opening experience, and I fell in love with helping people. I was able to visit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at 16 years old. When I visited St. Jude, we went into the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis, which only houses patients’ families from St. Jude’s Research Hospital. We cooked a gumbo, hosted a Mardi Gras parade, and I distinctly remember seeing so many kids of all ages that were fighting for their lives. I met a little boy named Dalton. He was 8 years old, very very sick from his chemotherapy treatments, and he hadn’t eaten in a while. He sat down with me and gobbled up an entire bowl of gumbo. His parents cried. The seed was planted. God said, ‘This is something you’re going to do in your life.’”
What challenges did you face starting this nonprofit at a young age?
“Although a challenge, it was kind of a blessing at the same time to be so naive and not know all of the details. I didn’t know what nonprofit meant. I didn’t know what a 501-c-3 was. I didn’t know any of this stuff. I grew up being taught to outwork our neighbor and to be very confident in whatever we set our mind to doing. I’ve always been somewhat fearless. Obviously, there were challenges from day one. As a woman, I was launched into working in a male-dominant industry. It was either sink or swim right out of the gates. The challenge was more on the side of not being taken seriously. I had to develop this persistence. I had to repeat, repeat, repeat until I was taken seriously, until the mission shined through me so passionately.”
Can you think of a specific kid who has benefitted from Sky High and stands out to you?
“Berra was diagnosed at 9 with brain cancer. I talked to Berra’s parents, and during her journey, which was chemo, radiation, they learned her brain tumor was inoperable. She loved arts and crafts. So, her dream was to have an art shed in her backyard. So, we gathered with some donors, and we were able to fund building her own art shed in her backyard. Berra wanted to create her own organization called ‘Let’s Beat Cancer Together.’ She did that by making bracelets and selling the bracelets, and she wanted the money to go directly to brain cancer research. Our organization was able to give Berra something to look forward to every morning when she woke up. There were so many beautiful things that she did and said. She was determined to help other kids that were in her same situation.”
Related: Listen to this Houstonian’s harrowing journey of surviving cancer ♥️
This conversation with Brittany Franklin was edited lightly for clarity.
