Full Breakdown
Missouri Family Turns Rare Cancer Battle into New State Laws
7/23/2026, 6:49:37 AM
June Steinmeyer's Battle and Remission
In last May, 5-year-old June Steinmeyer was diagnosed at Children’s Mercy Hospital with an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), a rare and aggressive pediatric brain cancer. She endured a nine-hour brain surgery, 31 radiation treatments, a stem-cell harvest and four rounds of high-dose chemotherapy. Despite the intensity, June described the experience as “kind of…a little bit” and later declared, “No,” when asked if the treatments were scary. Today, now 6, she is in remission; her mother Jessica Steinmeyer said a recent scan showed “no evidence of cancer.”
Legislative Response in Missouri
Grandfather State Representative Mike Steinmeyer used June’s story to champion legislation aimed at rare pediatric disease research. Governor Mike Kehoe signed two bills into law: one establishing June’s Week and Rare Pediatric Disease Week each September to raise awareness, and another creating a University of Missouri task force on pediatric and genetic disease research. The task force will begin in January, tracking patient outcomes, identifying funding opportunities and recommending future legislation.
Treatment Details and Rarity
- Diagnosis: ATRT, a rare pediatric brain tumor.
- Procedures: nine-hour surgery, 31 radiation sessions, stem-cell harvest, four high-dose chemotherapy rounds.
- Outcome: remission confirmed by imaging, as reported by the family.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We went into this with, ‘Oh my gosh, what do we do now?’” — June’s
- “We believed she was the bravest Steinmeyer that we have in the family,” — State Representative Mike Steinmeyer
- “Knowing that now, going forward, there will be a week dedicated to families to help support them through really rare things that come up,” — June’s
What’s Next
The newly formed University of Missouri task force will start its work in January, aiming to compile data on rare pediatric diseases, explore research funding, and propose additional policies to improve treatment pathways and accelerate cures for families across the state.
