Owen Laske
Owen Laske was born on August 26, to his proud parents Rebecca and Cory. Owen has a go with the flow personality, adapts well to different situations and has an unmatched bravery. He is as silly and fun-loving as he is strong and tough. Owen has embraced kindergarten this year from the second he got to step foot on the big school bus with his brothers. He is well-rounded but particularly enjoys math. Owen takes taekwondo and recently tested for his first belt promotion. He enjoyed playing his first soccer season in the fall, and plans to play again this spring. His favorite place to be is anywhere with his siblings, not only does he have two built in best friends with his two older brothers Keson and Conley, he is also the sweetest big brother to his little sister Rowena. He has endless things to say, which comes out when he is in environments he is comfortable in, or when he is around those he is closest to.
As you can tell, Owen is a man of many talents and is a master of the Nintendo Switch. He will play any minute that he is given the chance. He loves ripping open a fresh pack of Pokémon cards and sorting them by type in one of his several binders. Owen likes to go to his local children's museum of play and to the zoo and will never pass up a playgrounds or a bounce house. He likes to play board and card games and picking out new books at the library. In the summer Owen loves going on family camping trips. In September of 2025, Owen went to Disney World with his parents and siblings and because he is courageous and loves adventure, he rode every single ride he could.
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Diagnosis
After weeks of noticing subtle symptoms, primarily involving balance, Owen's parents brought him to the emergency department on November 12, 2025 when things worsened to the point that Owen was not able to walk straight. A CT scan was conducted that showed a tumor in his brain stem and an MRI the following day confirmed the devastating diagnosis of DIPG. His parents had never heard of this specific tumor type and quickly learned how difficult an outlook this prognosis carries. On November 18, Owen underwent a procedure to biopsy the tumor. This decision was particularly difficult to make, but ultimately this path was chosen to maximize eligibility for clinical trials. On November 20, Owen went to radiation for the first time, and bravely went on to complete 30 rounds without sedation, which concluded on January 5, 2026. In the midst of focusing on Owen's current treatment and researching future options, the Laske family continues to focus on spending time together and making memories. Owen and his family are so excited to be going on a Disney Cruise mid-January to seize and celebrate every single moment they have together.
From Owen's mom Rebecca, "We have chosen to share Owen's story because he inspires us, and we hope he inspires others too. Being "Owen Brave" is something we aim for. We also believe that each DIPG warrior deserves to be celebrated and prayed for."
Owen and the entire Laske family is an example of hope and faithfulness in the midst of a difficult and uncertain journey. The Archer Foundation is proud to join the Laske family in their belief in so many more good days and are inspired to be "Owen Brave!"
