Legacy of Resilience
Ronil Mehta was a kind, fun-loving kid who enjoyed baseball, basketball, karate, and skiing, and dreamed of becoming a pilot. In January 2016, at age 12, Ronil was diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), a terminal pediatric brain tumor located in the brainstem. He fell into a coma and doctors encouraged his parents to take him off life support. Miraculously, he woke up a week later, unable to move, communicating only through blinking, yet showed no fear and no self-pity.
Over a courageous 31-month battle, Ronil underwent surgeries, radiation, and an experimental treatment program in Mexico. He returned to school in a wheelchair, went snowmobiling and indoor skydiving, and selflessly enrolled in a UCSF clinical trial knowing it wouldn't help him but could help future children. His journey caught the attention of Stephen Curry and President Obama, who both sent him personal messages of encouragement.
Ronil passed away on September 1, 2018, the first day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. His family donated his tumor to Stanford Hospital, where it became one of the only Wild Type DIPG cell lines used worldwide in research. The Brave Ronil Foundation was founded by his parents Milan and Manisha Mehta to continue his legacy through research funding, legislative advocacy, and family support. Their younger son Sahil has been instrumental in driving the foundation's advocacy work, including championing AB 703 into California law.
"Ronil's unwavering faith in the inherent goodness of life serves as a reminder to embrace each moment with gratitude and optimism."
