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What a day on the course! Sponsors and participants came together for the 8th Annual Casey Cares Sporting Clay Tournament, helping create little moments and lasting memories for children facing critical illness and their families.

Thanks to their support, the money raised will provide 216 Casey Cares families with grocery store gift cards. For families balancing medical care and everyday needs, help with groceries can make a meaningful difference.

Congratulations to the winning team, Weltchek, Mallahan & Weltchek. John Burton, Ron Long, Rory Mallahan and Kip Mallahan broke an impressive 174 out of 200 clays. John Burton also earned the individual title, breaking 49 out of 50 clays.

Thank you to every participant, sponsor and volunteer who made the tournament possible. Your support will reach far beyond the course and into the homes of 216 Casey Cares families.

The 12th annual Swing-A-Thon brought supporters together at 39 Minute Workout for a day of movement, generosity and community. Thanks to everyone who participated and donated, the event raised funds that will provide 341 Casey Cares families with an at-home movie and pizza night kit, including gift cards for pizza and streaming services.

For families caring for a child with a critical illness, an evening together can offer a welcome break from appointments and uncertainty. Casey Cares mom J’amie and her 8-year-old daughter Fallon joined us at the event to share their story. J’amie described how quickly life changed for their family: within three weeks, Fallon went from being fully healthy to barely able to walk. Fallon also took a moment to thank everyone who came out.

We swing for children like Fallon and for the little moments their families can share together.

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Swing-A-Thon possible. We are especially grateful to David and Abby Beares for continuing to host the event and support Casey Cares. Another thanks to Catherine Chapman for helping to organize the event. Your generosity will help 341 families make lasting memories, one movie night at a time.

Last week, we hosted another incredible event in our Sports Legends series, this time featuring two-time Super Bowl champion and Maryland football favorite Torrey Smith.

Guests gathered for a memorable evening filled with entertaining stories, plenty of laughter and delicious food. Most importantly, the event brought together a generous group of supporters committed to making a difference in the lives of critically ill children and their families.

Casey Cares is incredibly grateful to Torrey for spending the evening with us and for his continued willingness to give back to the community that has supported him throughout his career.

A special thank-you also goes to longtime Casey Cares supporter Mark Viviano for emceeing the evening and to The Prime Rib at Live! Maryland for helping us host such a wonderful event.

The evening would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors:

• Gil and Mary Ann Kuta
• Weltchek, Mallahan & Weltchek
• Bay Harbor Wealth
• VALLIT Advisors
• Salsbury, Stringer & McCulley
• Wollenweber’s Trucking Company
• Berger Cookies

We are also deeply grateful to everyone who attended and supported the event. By joining us for an evening of good food, great stories and plenty of laughs, guests helped provide critically ill children and their families with something even more meaningful: moments of normalcy, joy and lasting childhood memories.

Thank you to everyone who continues to make the Casey Cares Sports Legends series, and our mission of creating little moments and lasting memories possible.

Check out the photo gallery from Jamie Lee Photography below!

Every September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month shines a light on the children facing cancer, the families walking beside them and the ongoing need for research, resources and compassionate support.

Childhood cancer is not one single disease. It includes many different diagnoses, with leukemia, brain and central nervous system tumors, lymphoma, bone cancer and soft-tissue tumors among the most common. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, immunotherapy or a combination of approaches. For some children, treatment lasts months or even years.

But childhood cancer affects far more than a child’s physical health. A diagnosis can suddenly reshape nearly every part of family life.

Children may miss school, activities and time with friends. Parents often balance medical appointments, hospital stays, work responsibilities and the emotional and financial strain of caring for a critically ill child. Siblings may struggle with changes at home, time apart from their parents and feelings they do not always know how to express.

In the middle of so much uncertainty, families still need moments that feel joyful, familiar and normal.

Casey Cares Is There for the Entire Family

Casey Cares Foundation provides ongoing, uplifting programs for critically ill children and their family members. Our support is not limited to one special day or a single experience. We stay connected with families throughout their journey, creating meaningful opportunities for them to laugh, celebrate and simply enjoy being together.

Through our Family Festivities program, families can attend sporting events, visit local attractions, enjoy movies and participate in other memorable outings. Birthday Blast recognizes each child’s birthday as an especially meaningful milestone, while Kami’s Jammies provides new sleepwear to children during extended hospital stays or while they are homebound.

Our Caring Connections program gives families opportunities to meet and support others who understand the challenges of caring for a critically ill child. Hammy’s Heart helps ease the burden of grocery expenses through gift cards, and Better Together continues supporting families following the heartbreaking loss of a child.

These programs do not replace medical treatment, but they provide something just as deeply needed: connection, encouragement, comfort and hope.

A family movie night can offer a welcome distraction after a difficult week of treatment. A birthday surprise can remind a child that they are more than their diagnosis. A day at a sporting event or the zoo can give siblings and parents an opportunity to reconnect outside of a hospital setting. Even a fresh pair of pajamas can make an unfamiliar hospital room feel a little more like home.

These may seem like little moments, but for families facing childhood cancer, they can become lasting memories.

You Can Help Make a Difference

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is an important time to recognize the courage of children undergoing treatment, remember those who have been lost and stand beside the families whose lives have been changed by cancer.

It is also a reminder that these families need support throughout the year.

By donating, volunteering, attending a Casey Cares event or helping spread awareness, you can help us continue providing joyful experiences and ongoing encouragement to families when they need it most.

Together, we can make sure children facing cancer still have opportunities to celebrate birthdays, enjoy family traditions, laugh with their siblings and experience the simple joys of childhood.

Because every child deserves more than treatment. Every child deserves moments of happiness, hope and love.

Donate Today

Last weekend, fourteen-year-old Brayden and his family recently traded treatment schedules for an unforgettable underwater adventure at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa.

Brayden, who is battling osteosarcoma, experienced SeaTREK, a guided underwater walking tour through the Aquarium’s 15-foot-deep Heart of the Sea habitat. Wearing specialized helmets that allowed them to breathe comfortably, Brayden and his family explored coral caves and came face-to-face with incredible Indo-Pacific marine life.

“The SeaTREK experience was absolutely amazing,” Brayden’s mom shared. “We are so grateful to Casey Cares Foundation for giving us this memorable experience.”

Experiences like SeaTREK can be once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, especially for children battling critical illnesses. They give families a chance to step away from medical appointments, treatments and hospital stays and simply enjoy being together.

Casey Cares Foundation was honored to partner with The Florida Aquarium to give Brayden and his family this extraordinary adventure and joyful memories they can carry with them for years to come.

Fall is almost here, and at Casey Cares, that means one thing: event season is about to get exciting!

From Maryland to Florida, we have a packed lineup of events bringing our supporters together for unforgettable experiences, friendly competition and plenty of fun, all while helping Casey Cares continue creating Little Moments, Lasting Memories for critically ill children and their families.

Whether you want to hear from a Super Bowl champion, spend a day on the sporting clay course, take on a fitness challenge, sing along to your favorite songs or rock out with us, there is something for everyone this fall.

Mark Your Calendar

September 10 — Fireside Chat with Torrey Smith | Maryland
Kick off the season with a special evening featuring two-time Super Bowl champion Torrey Smith. Join us for an inspiring conversation and a memorable night in support of Casey Cares families.

September 18 — Sporting Clay Tournament | Maryland
Gather your team, take aim and join us for a day of sporting clays, friendly competition and giving back. Whether you’re a seasoned shooter or simply ready for a fun day on the course, every shot helps Casey Cares create little moments and lasting memories for critically ill children and their families.

September 20 — Kettlebell Swing-A-Thon | Maryland
Ready for a challenge? Our Kettlebell Swing-A-Thon brings fitness and fundraising together for an energetic event that proves you can make a difference.

October 9 — Dueling Pianos | Florida
After an incredible first year, Dueling Pianos is back! Last year’s event was such a success, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this high-energy, interactive night back to Florida for a second year. Get ready to sing along, make requests and enjoy an evening filled with music, laughter and fun.

October 24 — Rock ‘N’ Roll Bash | Maryland
We’re turning up the volume for one of our biggest nights of the year! The Rock ‘N’ Roll Bash returns for another unforgettable evening of live music, great company and plenty of surprises, all benefiting Casey Cares programs.

And You Don’t Even Have to Attend an Event to Join the Fun

Our $10,000 Raffle is open to everyone, no matter where you live, and you do not need to be present to win!

The winning ticket will be drawn on October 24, and with only 500 tickets available, your chances are much better than your average raffle. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, so be sure to grab yours while you can.

Every ticket purchased and every event attended helps Casey Cares provide uplifting programs and special experiences for families navigating the challenges of critical illness.

So grab your calendar, gather your friends and get ready…. fall with Casey Cares is going to be one to remember!

The start of a new school year is usually filled with excitement. Class schedules are set, backpacks are packed and children reconnect with friends as they settle into another year of learning and growing.

For families caring for a child with a critical illness, however, the season can bring a very different set of emotions and challenges.

A new school year does not always mean walking into a classroom on the first day. For some children in Casey Cares programs, it may mean completing assignments from home, keeping up with schoolwork between medical appointments or spending part of the year learning from a hospital room. Treatments, procedures and unexpected hospital stays can quickly interrupt even the best-planned routines.

It can also be difficult to watch life continue as usual for classmates and friends. School dances, sporting events, birthday celebrations and after-school activities are an important part of growing up, but children undergoing treatment may not always be able to participate.

More Than a Change in Schedule

Returning to school can present additional concerns for children whose immune systems are compromised. Being around larger groups of people can increase the risk of exposure to everyday illnesses, while long school days and changing routines can be physically exhausting.

For parents, it is another layer to manage alongside medications, appointments, treatments and the many other responsibilities that come with caring for a seriously ill child.

During a season centered around getting “back to normal,” many Casey Cares families are still searching for moments that feel normal.

Giving Families Something to Look Forward To

That is where Casey Cares comes in.

Throughout the year, Casey Cares creates opportunities for children and their families to step away from the medical world and enjoy time together. Whether it is a special outing, an exciting experience, a celebration or a thoughtful surprise, each program is designed to bring happiness into days that can otherwise feel dominated by illness.

These experiences cannot take away a diagnosis or eliminate a difficult treatment schedule. What they can do is give a child something positive to anticipate, create memories for an entire family and provide a reminder that childhood can still include fun, laughter and adventure.

For a child who has missed weeks of school or spent countless hours in treatment, those moments can mean more than most of us realize.

Helping Kids Hold Onto Childhood

As another school year begins, Casey Cares remains committed to making sure children facing critical illness have opportunities to experience the simple joys of being a kid.

Because even when school looks different, schedules are interrupted and childhood does not go according to plan, every child still deserves reasons to smile.

With the support of our community, Casey Cares can continue creating little moments and lasting memories for families when they need them most.