Jackson Copeland Foundation

The Jackson Copeland Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit corporation in Florida recognized as a charitable foundation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and registered with the Florida Division of Consumer Services to solicit charitable contributions.

Our namesake, Jackson was born on June 26th, 2001.

He grew up in St Petersburg Florida and following graduation from HS he became an Intel Specialist with US Navy Reserve and a student at the local community college. Jackson loved history, and we were constantly amazed at the depth and breadth of his knowledge on seemingly any subject. Anyone who knew him well will agree: “He was one of the smartest people I have ever known”. But his unrivaled intellect was coupled with a seemingly endless patience for those around him, and that’s just one of the many things that made him so special.

He was a gentle soul, had a heart of gold and a mischievous sense of humor. He was a huge NFL fan, loved fantasy football and his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had an eclectic taste in music, loved cars and adored his animals. He was the oldest of 2 boys and he and his brother, Caden were inseparable from day 1. He loved his little brother deeply. They were BEST friends. And we couldn’t possibly tell anyone about Jackson without sharing his love for travel. We like to believe he got his wanderlust from us, but it was also driven by his keen intellect and curiosity, and we are so happy that we were able to travel with him to so many amazing places during his brief life.

In March of 2022, Jackson was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form (FLT-3+) of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He underwent several rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and in July 2022 he received a bone marrow / stem cell transplant. Jackson insisted on pursuing every possible treatment option. He showed such bravery, maturity, resilience, indomitable spirit, and sense of humor in the face of what we knew all along could be a death sentence. He was RELENTLESS!

He fought longer and harder than many thought humanly possible, and his strength was an inspiration.

Jackson passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family in May 2024. He was just 22 years old.

The Jackson Copeland Foundation was founded by Jackson's parents and brother to honor a beautiful life that was cut far too short.

When we lost Jackson, the world stopped. But in the silence and unbearable grief that followed, we realized that while Jackson’s personal battle had ended, the war against this terrible disease was still raging for thousands of other families, so we chose to stay in the fight. We remember the crushing financial burden of the medical bills, co-pays, hotel stays, and maintaining two households during transplant and recovery. We remember the exhausting physical and emotional toll of numerous six-week hospital stays, chemo infusions, transplant preparations, fevers, infections, late nights in the hospital’s urgent care center, and those 9-hour days for outpatient appointments and transfusions.

So, we couldn’t just walk away. We took our love for Jackson and turned it into a shield for others.

Our mission is to improve outcomes and accelerate cures for high-risk leukemia, while eliminating the financial and logistical barriers that prevent patients and families from accessing life-saving care.

We believe a leukemia diagnosis should not equate to financial ruin, especially for young adults. We know first-hand the physical, mental, emotional, and financial tolls of a leukemia diagnosis can be devastating for patients, families, and caregivers and especially for the AYA (Adolescent and Young Adult) Community. We are honored to provide financial and logistical support, as well as patient advocacy.

Learn more about the foundation at jacksoncopeland.org

BUT we don’t only raise funds to support leukemia patients, and research for hard to treat leukemia, we are also huge advocates for blood and platelet donation and Stem Cell Registrations. Jackson was transfusion dependent for over a year and his weekly platelet and blood transfusions gave us that extra precious time with him.

We are here to ask you to register as a stem cell/bone marrow donor.

For many patients with leukemia/ blood cancer diagnoses, especially those with AML, the only chance of a cure is a stem cell/bone marrow transplant. This is why we are partnering with DKMS

Jackson received a stem cell transplant in July 2022. And while the outcome for Jackson was not what we prayed for, it gave him a chance, bought him 5 months of hope and many more precious memories shared. He met a friend on-line who was also diagnosed with AML. She too received her stem cell transplant around the same time and to this day is healthy and thriving. She is also one of our board members.

Statistically, only 25-30% of patients find a fully compatible match within their family, and so finding an unrelated donor from the registry may be a patient’s only chance.

Registering is simple, painless and could give so many others like Jackson more time or even a second chance at life. If you are ever called as a match for a patient in need, there are 2 ways to donate: