Jalen Thayer was a straight "A" student and athlete at ELB's Patrick Henry Elementary and Newcomb K-8 Academy, diagnosed with brain cancer at age 13. He fought to age 15...after watching his sister Breanna battle brain cancer, diagnosed at age 3 from which she perished at age 5.

In the wake of the unimaginable dual tragedies, parents Lance and Jennifer Thayer created and organized the annual event, LBREPORT.com provides extended video and photo coverage below. To launch video, click icon below.

The Thayers (photo below) frequently stress that the event is not only to honor Jalen and Breanna but also to increase public awareness of the unrecognized high incidence of childhood cancers, which they say receives low funding for treatments and cures. They add that there's relatively little support compared to need for children battling the disease and families left emotionally and financially devastated.

In response, the Thayers created "Have Faith, Be Strong" (whose name reflects one of Jalen's favorite phrases) that they said recently received non-profit status and plans to address these issues.

Jalen's father Lance told the crowd that his son was the most inspiring person he'd ever known. Mother Jennifer reminded the crowd (with very few dry eyes visible) that Jalen would be walking across the graduation stage from High School now, as she summoned Jalen's classmates to the podium to show his presence with them. They posed for the photo below.

Among the event speakers was Lauren Valdez, a teenage cancer survivor who lost part of a leg to cancer. She met Jalen in the wake of the amputation and said he remains a continuing inspiration to her. A former Newcomb student, now a young man battling cancer, said he cherishes the time he can spend with his young child and attended the event to give back and not give in to the disease.

Mr. and Mrs. Thayer began the day by conducting a personal run, carrying torches from Newcomb K-8 school to Patrick Henry Elementary School, where they lit memorial flames for Jalen and Breanna. In the photo below, father Lance hands a memorial torch to his youngest son Sam as mother Jennifer looks on.

At the event site, a memorial wall displayed the names of over 150 children with the types of childhood cancers that took their lives. Mrs. Thayer said the number grew from about a dozen a year ago to beyond the number visible now. Families across the country, and some from other countries, submitted their childrens' names as word of the LB event spread via the internet, she said.

On the night preceding the event, a candlelight vigil drew supporters. (VIDEO: click here.)

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The family lived in East Long Beach when the twin tragedies struck their family.

Breanna, Samuel, Bailey, Jalen, Mom & Dad at La Jolla Beach in 2003

Jalen, Breanna and their Mom in 2004

On March 31, 2011, just days before his passing, Jalen was present at Newcomb Academy K-8 school as the entire student body, faculty and staff assembled to name its athletic field in his honor (LBREPORT.com coverage, click here).

The Thayers urged those attending to spread the word about "Have Faith, Be Strong" which maintains a Facebook presence at this link as well as a website at this link for updates on the group's activities and events.