Play Ball! It's Kaycee and the Guardians!

Posted: Aug 29, 2023

Thanks to the generosity of the Cleveland Guardians, Casey Cares child Kaycee recently enjoyed a special VIP experience at Progressive Field. She is diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and joined Casey Cares' programs earlier this summer.

The 9-year-old watched Guardians players during batting practice, got autographs from the players like Sam Hentges and Trevor Stephan, was the “Play Ball” kid and called out the start of the game, and then sat with her family in VIP seats to watch the White Sox vs Guardians game with her parents Nicole and Michael and her older sister Kaitlyn.

After having recurring headaches, Kaycee’s medulloblastoma brain tumor was discovered on Easter 2023. A month after surgery, an MRI showed that the cancer had returned and spread to the spine putting her in a high-risk category. She has completed 30 doses of radiation at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Now, Kaycee is scheduled to complete 6 months of intense proton radiation therapy in Akron.

Prior to her diagnosis, Kaycee loved playing basketball for her school travel team and was beginning her first season of AAU basketball. She loves riding horses and was taking lessons at YMCA Camp Noah Equestrian Center and was supposed to participate in her first horse show on May 4th. She was an athlete and participated in many other local sports like cross country, swim team, and softball.

Still, Kaycee wants to be a veterinarian and is working hard to get back to shooting hoops and riding horses.

The Cleveland Guardians have partnered with the Casey Cares Foundation since 2017, providing the nonprofit with tickets for critically ill children to watch baseball games.

Read more about Kaycee and her special experience thanks to reporting by WKYC here!

Thank you to the Cleveland Guardians for providing this incredible day for Kaycee and her family to make lasting memories together!