When Justin Ramirez was diagnosed with leukemia at age 13, his days quickly filled with hospital rooms, IV medications and long stretches of treatment at Phoenix Children’s. In the middle of all of it, one thing helped him feel like himself again: school.

To support that sense of normalcy for children like Ramirez, Desert Financial Foundation and Desert Financial Credit Union donated $1.425 million to the 1 Darn Cool School at Phoenix Children’s during a special ceremony Thursday, Jan. 29. The fully accredited K-12 program provides bedside and classroom instruction to any school-aged kids, both in-patient and out-patient receiving care at Phoenix Children’s.

Each year, more than 2,000 children benefit from the program. Eight master’s-level teachers help students stay on track academically while maintaining routine, connection and hope during hospital stays and visits to outpatient facilities.

Ramirez became a 1 Darn Cool School student shortly after his diagnosis in November 2024, spending months in the hospital and continuing treatment through clinic visits multiple times a week in 2025. Teachers worked with him during admissions, infusions and recovery periods to help him complete coursework, earn credits and promote from eighth grade to begin high school in person in January 2026.

“They helped me with my school credits, because to be able to graduate you need enough credits,” Ramirez said. “They would first focus on my schoolwork, and if I needed help, they were always there.”

Ramirez’s experience reflects the mission of 1 Darn Cool School: bringing structure, connection and familiar routines to children whose time is shaped by medical care. During his hospital stays, teachers met with Ramirez in a shared classroom space when he felt well enough or at his bedside when he didn’t.

“It made me feel free because you could go outside your room instead of feeling isolated,” Ramirez said. “They would sit next to you at your bed, and that made me feel like a regular, normal human being.”

Ramirez worked closely with Lydia Smith, a 1 Darn Cool School teacher who helped coordinate with his home school, adapt lessons and advocate for his academic progress while he underwent treatment.

“1 Darn Cool School brings a sense of normalcy into a not-so-normal time for patients,” Smith said. “We are able to be the bridge between school and hospital and ensure that patients are still engaged with their education. That sense of consistency can be a beacon of hope.”

Desert Financial Executive Vice President Ron Amstutz said supporting that bridge is at the heart of the credit union’s long-standing partnership with the program.

“As a credit union founded by teachers, education is part of who we are,” Amstutz said. “This commitment ensures children receiving care at Phoenix Children’s can continue learning, stay connected to their peers and focus on their future, even during the hardest moments of their young lives.”

1 Darn Cool School is fully funded by contributions from Desert Financial Foundation, Desert Financial Credit Union, its members and its employees.

The $1.425 million donation is part of a five-year, $5 million commitment to 1 Darn Cool School announced by Desert Financial in 2024. With this year’s gift, the credit union has reached 70% of its fundraising goal in just two years.

“Desert Financial Credit Union’s generosity continues to open doors of possibility for the children and families we serve,” said Tim Harrison, vice president, corporate partnerships, special events & grant philanthropy at Phoenix Children’s. “Their commitment to 1 Darn Cool School ensures that every patient can stay connected to their education and their future. We are deeply grateful for this partnership and for the heart they bring to our mission year after year.”

1 Darn Cool School supports patients with individualized instruction that helps them remain on grade level so they can more easily reintegrate into their schools when treatment allows.

For Ramirez, that support made it possible to return to school alongside his peers after more than a year of hospital-based learning.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know more people and being social again,” he said. “They helped me get here.”