Sidney Kushner (he/him/his)

Founder & Executive Director
Connecting Champions

Sidney founded the national nonprofit Connecting Champions as a 19-year-old in memory of his friend Lauren. The organization asks kids and young adults with cancer, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and connects them with a mentor to help them achieve a brighter future. Sidney graduated with a degree in Applied Mathematics from Brown University and was named a top 100 student entrepreneur in the nation by Stanford University in 2013. In 2021, he gave a TED talk: “How one question can forever change the life of a child with cancer.” He was a plenary speaker at the Global Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Congress and a recipient of the Bridge Award by the Hospital Educators and Academic Liaisons Association. His research on the unmet needs of young people with cancer was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal, Continuity in Education.

Disclosure information not submitted.

Presentation(s):

• How Connecting Champions Increased Donations to Help Kids With Cancer Pursue Their Passions

  Friday, August 1, 2025
  9:10 AM - 10:10 AM