Mary & Long Tran with F.A.I.T.H. Kids
INSPIRATIONAL AGENTS
PHOTOS BY SHAWNA McDUFFIE, PEAK RES | STORY BY DAVE DANIELSON
SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH HOPE
During the darkest times in life, one of the most important things is knowing that there is hope … that there is a way forward that is made easier by those who really care for you in that moment.
With that in mind, the OKC area is made much richer by L.I.M.E. Realty Real Estate Professionals Mary and Long Tran and the organization they created … F.A.I.T.H. Kids (Fighting Against Illnesses To Heal Kids).
A Force for Good
In addition to being leading members of the real estate landscape based on their work with clients day-to-day, they are also a leading and very active force for good — helping other families who are enduring the same challenging health path that they have experienced with their own daughters.
“Our journey began when our older daughter, Rylie, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3 years old. It was very scary not knowing what the outcome would be. We had a great support group during that time, and we got through it. She is 16 years old and is cancer-free today, is a junior in high school, and plays competitive volleyball,” Long explains.
“We founded F.A.I.T.H. Kids because we couldn’t imagine going through something like that without a support group. That’s how it started. It was in honor of Rylie but inspired by the people who helped us. Everyone came up to us, asking how they could help. It was overwhelming support.”
Mary and Long have another daughter, Abby, who is 9 years old and has also had to battle cancer in her neck.
As Long says, “She had surgery to remove most of the tumor called ganglioneuroblastoma.”
100 Percent Commitment
F.A.I.T.H. Kids is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that raises funds with no staff or overhead … and 100% of the proceeds raised go back to the community.
“We receive applications for local families who need help and process them. To qualify, the child needs to be under 18, and they need to live in Oklahoma and have some type of life-threatening illness,” Long explains. “For the family, we pay for things like electricity, utilities and their mortgage … whatever they need help with. We also do fun events for families … sort of bucket list items. We come in and do fun events and bowling parties.”
Connecting for Good
As Mary and Long reflect on their journey of hope that they provide through F.A.I.T.H. Kids, they enjoy connecting with families who are going through the same thing.
“We get to share our story of hope with people. Before COVID-19, I would go to the hospital and share our story and also give families resources and let them know how F.A.I.T.H. Kids could help them out with bills,” Long points out. “In addition, we do our best to support any family who wants to start a nonprofit or start a charity in their kids’ name. We come alongside them and champion them with that. We also help local charities that help kids who are fighting life-threatening cancer. We celebrate them. We go to their events and are supporters/sponsors. We partner up with them.
One of the most difficult forms of support that F.A.I.T.H. Kids provides is when the endings are not happy.
“Unfortunately, we have kids who we meet who don’t make it. A lot of families go through that. We come in during their darkest hours and help pay for funerals. This year there have been 15 to 20 funerals,” Long says. “Building relationships with these families and walking this path with them, you become very close to them. It takes a toll on us to lose them. Once you are in that world, it’s a bond that you cannot break.”
Fulfilling a Real Need
As Mary and Long explain, the evolution of cancer care for children has lagged behind that of adults.
“Most of the time, the treatment that kids receive are diluted versions of adult treatments. Less than 4% of funding goes to childhood cancer,” Long says. “The support, donation and fundraising for our kids locally … and raising awareness is a big part of what we do. We partner up with a lot of charities.”
As Mary says, “Our daughters are the Champion Kids for Children’s Miracle Network. We really appreciate the opportunity to share our story of hope for these families, as well as raising money for cancer research for kids. If we can get our story out, we can make a bigger difference.”
Looking to the future, Mary and Long have a vision of having a F.A.I.T.H. Kids chapter in every state.
“That’s our long-term vision that will take a lot of support. The families we help are usually single-parent households who are dealing with lights, gas and water that are getting turned off,” Mary says. “These are families who are really in need. You shouldn’t worry about if your lights are going to go out when you’re dealing with issues like this.”
Congratulations to Mary and Long Tran for their labor of love in creating and sustaining F.A.I.T.H. Kids … in turn, delivering real hope and answers to those who are facing life’s most trying hurdles.
For more information about F.A.I.T.H. Kids, visit www.faithkids10.org.
