Happy Father’s Day to all of Casey Cares dads, uncles, stepfathers, grandfathers, and father figures! Fatherhood is a profound journey, one that comes with its own unique set of challenges and responsibilities. But when a child faces medical complexities, the experience takes on an entirely new level of complexity and difficulty. Casey Cares father Jason reflects on fatherhood as the parent of Evan, a heart transplant survivor, this Father’s Day.
“Father’s Day is important to me because it’s another opportunity to make memories and spend time as a family. Being a father of three wonderful children is truly one of life’s greatest gifts. I cherish these moments with my wife helping to guide our children through the many beautiful and tumultuous moments of life.” Jason – Evan, Maddie, and Jack’s father.
In Michigan, Charley celebrated his 9th birthday and is Casey Cares’ 535th birthday this year!
Casey Cares knows that for a critically ill child, each birthday is a special milestone celebrating life. For the children in our programs, it not only marks another year, but it also demonstrates a great achievement. Casey Cares staff and volunteers work hard to send out each of our kids a special birthday package through our Birthday Blast program – we send over 1,000 a year! This simple act of kindness delivers joy and hope to our kids who are undergoing treatment.
Meet Charley
Alissa, Charley’s mother states, “Charley was diagnosed right before he was supposed to start 4-year-old preschool. He had his annual check-up with his doctor where they always do a finger poke blood test. Charley’s blood counts came back very low and he was diagnosed within a day. He had no signs or symptoms that we had noticed – so it was a complete shock to our family.”
Charley’s diagnosis with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After bravely battling for over a year, Charley reached the maintenance stage in his treatment this past September and he is “handling it all well!” according to Alissa.
The mother of three notes the difficulties of being a parent to a critically ill child. Alissa explains, “The difficulties we have faced include Charley having to take so many medications and the periods where he had to stay at the hospital so much. The support from foundations like Casey Cares, our family and friends, and from our entire community has helped us cope – knowing so many people are rooting for Charley really helped!”
One month after his leukemia diagnosis, Charley’s social worker reccomended him for Casey Cares programs! Since joining, Charley and his older sisters have received pajamas and crafts, Movie & Pizza Night packages, and more.
“Our favorite activity was going to Jurassic Quest with the tickets provided by Casey Cares. It was special to us because it was something we could do as an entire family; Charley and his sisters loved it!” says Caroline.
Alissa appreciated, “the pajamas for Charley and his sisters the most. When Charley was first diagnosed, it was a very hard time for our family. With Charley being in the hospital so much, all of our routines were completely changed. When the package of pajamas and other surprises for a movie night arrived from Casey Cares, the kids were all so excited. It meant so much to us that the foundation not only cares about the child going through the treatments but also their family as well.”
As Charley turns six, he will celebrate by having a party with his family! “Throughout his treatment we have had to miss a lot of family get-togethers, so we are excited to be able to celebrate!” says Alissa.
Want to support more programs and fun activities for critically ill children like Charley? Donate here!
In Ohio, McKinley celebrated her 9th birthday and is Casey Cares’ 560th birthday this year!
Casey Cares knows that for a critically ill child, each birthday is a special milestone celebrating life. For the children in our programs, it not only marks another year, but it also demonstrates a great achievement. Casey Cares staff and volunteers work hard to send out each of our kids a special birthday package through our Birthday Blast program – we send over 1,000 a year! This simple act of kindness delivers joy and hope to our kids who are undergoing treatment.
Home After 218 Days
One month after her seventh birthday, McKinley’s family received devastating news. Caroline, McKinley’s mother states, “McKinley was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on June 27, 2022. McKinley had been tired, pale, and complaining of tummy pain leading up to her diagnosis. We took her to the doctor and had blood work done and they were supposed to call us the next day with results, but we ended up taking her to the ER instead of waiting and the news that no parent ever wants to hear, “your child has cancer,” was given to us.”
She continues, “We were transferred by ambulance to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and her chemotherapy treatment began. She was in remission for 6 months and then had a relapse in October of 2023. She received a bone marrow transplant in January 2024 from a cord blood donation. Her bone marrow biopsy results are all clear and 100% donor cells.”
Currently, McKinley just returned home after spending 218 nights at a Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House and will go for once-a-week checkups!
The mother notes the difficulties of being a parent to a critically ill child. Caroline explains, “During the last 2 years, we have spent a combined 464 nights away from home at the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati. When McKinley was first diagnosed, our youngest was 4 months old and still not willing to take a bottle. I remember my Dad being the one to work with him around the clock to finally get him to take a bottle!”
“We also had a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, so the logistics of trying to care for the other kids while still being at the hospital with McKinley were overwhelming at times! We are so thankful for our family, who took turns driving in from TN, our church family, neighbors, and homeschool community that has loved and cared for us so well during this long and challenging journey. We could not have done this without them!” she continues.
The family credits their faith in playing a big part in going through their daughter’s cancer journey. “Our favorite Bible verse has been Colossians 1:17. There have been so many things out of our control that we have had to pray and trust the Lord and know He would give us the strength each day to walk this journey. Jesus has been our foundation along the ups and downs of this journey.”
Along For the Journey
After joining Casey Cares in 2022, McKinley has received pajamas and crafts, Movie & Pizza Night packages, attended a holiday light show, and more!
“Since we have been limited on actually attending events due to McKinley needing to be careful due to her being immunocompromised, we have loved the movie and pizza nights that we have been able to have at home! It was fun picking out a movie to buy, ordering pizza and getting snacks, all thanks to the gift cards that Casey Cares provided for us!” says Caroline.
She adds, “McKinley remembers getting a fun Lego set from Casey Cares! It’s been a blessing to have the support of such an amazing organization. It makes you feel known and loved during a time that can feel like you are missing so much and just wanting a sense of being a normal kid.”
Caroline has been “very grateful for the support that Casey Cares has provided for us during these past 2 years since McKinley was first diagnosed with leukemia. I especially remember loving the package that was sent with new pajamas for McKinley and her 3 siblings. They all had fun opening the package and seeing their new pajamas and wearing them!”
As McKinley turns nine, she will celebrate by having a virtual party with her cousins. “She’s sending them party favors in the mail [with] Pokemon cards!” Caroline states.
Read more about McKinley in the Wilmington News Journal here! Want to support more programs and fun activities for critically ill children like McKinley? Donate here!
In D.C., Zhyla celebrated her 7th birthday and is Casey Cares’ 590th birthday this year!
Casey Cares knows that for a critically ill child, each birthday is a special milestone celebrating life. For the children in our programs, it not only marks another year, but it also demonstrates a great achievement. Casey Cares staff and volunteers work hard to send out each of our kids a special birthday package through our Birthday Blast program – we send over 1,000 a year! This simple act of kindness delivers joy and hope to our kids who are undergoing treatment.
Meet Zhyla
Having joined Casey Cares in 2019, Zhyla has loved going to Unicorn World, attending a Doja Cat concert, watching Monster Jam and the players at Baltimore Ravens Training Camp, seeing the stunts of UniverSoul Circus, receiving Movie & Pizza Night packages, and more!
With Casey Cares, Zhyla’s mother Angela appreciates, “how the kids get offered so many local events. One the nicest experiences was the Mother’s Day Tea Party. Casey Cares thought about mothers which other cancer foundation don’t really do, mainly it’s about our children.”
She adds that for her daughter, “The birthday box and pajamas were so nice since we were away or in a hospital. The movie package is so nice too!”
Testing and Challenges
Angela first knew something might be wrong with her daughter when “she was getting a lazy eye. I wanted to get glasses early before the vision got worse. [The doctor] told me to go to Children’s Hospital in DC as soon as possible. She was diagnosed that afternoon after testing. [More testing showed] that she had a rare eye cancer condition called Bilateral Retinoblastoma was going blind from tumors.”
“We started at John Hopkins Hospital and now are in NYC every 4 weeks for last three years. Her left eye tumors are aggressive and there are a lot of them,” Angela states.
The mother also shares her the ripple effect of her daughter’s cancer diagnosis. “I had stop my profession as head Sous Chef at MGM, my dream career, to become a hands on mom 24/7. We’ve been living out a suitcase and since every 4 weeks we are going back and forth on the highway to the doctors.”
For Zhyla’s birthday this year, she requested ” a YES Day and to go to the beach!” says Angela. She is excited to take her daughter as she will be in remission in early June.
Want to support more programs and fun activities for critically ill children like Zhyla? Donate here!
We had a great day on the greens at our 21st Annual Casey Cares Golf Tournament!
The sunny Monday at the prestigious Baltimore Country Club was filled with great rounds of golf and fierce competition, lunch, and a cocktail awards reception all to benefit the critically ill children in Casey Cares’ programs!
With over 20 foursomes present, we wanted to congratulate the winners:
Winning Foursome: TJ Keilty, Bryan Schafer, TJ Jager, and Steve Pipich with Keilty Bonadio
Longest Drive, Woman: Mallary Toth
One of the most moving parts of the day was when a Casey Cares mother, Mariana, spoke about how much impact our programs have on her family’s life and that of her daughter Natalie, who has spastic paraplegia and is quadriplegic. She said, “I want to say thank you to Casey Cares for having such dedication, devotion and love. Casey Cares helps lighten up kids families and lives with all the beautiful opportunities!”
Since 2022, Natalie and her family have received tickets to the Maryland Zoo and special yarn wigs, attended the ballet and our Mother’s Day Tea Party, visited Disney On Ice and Unicorn World, and more!
Casey Cares expresses our heartfelt appreciation to our top sponsor ReThink Water! A big thanks to all of our sponsors, in-kind donors, and golf committee who helped make our tournament such a success!
This event was also made possible thanks to sponsors Alliance Material Handling, Inc., American Breadcrumb Company, Bay Harbor Wealth Management, Cypress Wealth Management, The DiMayo Family Foundation, Eagle Bank, Evergreen Advisors, Firstrust Bank, First National Bank, Fry, Keilty Bonadio, Lincoln Financial Group, Morgan Stanley Capitol Wealth Management, Offit & Roth P.A., Cornerstone Advisory, Phoenix Sales & Marketing, Polun, SC&H Group, Persona Triangle Sign Services, Vytex Windows, and Whiting-Turner.
Thank you to our in-kind donors: Mid Atlantic Photography, Maryland State Golf Association, DowntownDiane.net, Focus On Women Magazine, White Clover Floral Events, WCBM Talk Radio, Smyth Jewelers, and Pics By Missy.
May was an exciting month for our external fundraisers! From the weight room to the fairway, our dedicated supporters found creative ways to rally behind Casey Cares’ mission. Swinging a kettlebell turned into swinging a golf club, as community members supported Casey Cares critically ill children and their families.
Swing-A-Thon
Casey Cares supporters and board members David Beares, and his wife, Abby, owners of 39 Minute Workout, did some heavy lifting to support the critically ill kids and families in our Casey Cares programs! The Casey Cares 10th Annual Kettlebell Swing-A-Thon event swung in as another super successful event as community members have raised more than $150,000 over the last nine years! Thanks again to everyone who created a fundraising page or came out on such a sunny day and swung a kettlebell! You truly made a difference in the lives of critically ill children!
Tee It Up for Casey Cares
A few weeks later, Derby Real Estate Development and VYBE Realty hosted their 3rd Annual Tee It Up Golf Tournament! Held on The Woodlands Golf Course.From mini contests, prizes, snacks, and even a helicopter golf ball drop, participants had a great day supporting the critically ill children and their families in our Casey Cares programs! Thanks to the generosity of its sponsors and participants, the event raised close to $100,000 over the past three years.
Couldn’t attend the events but still want to donate? Tap here!
The Casey Cares Foundation partnered with the Baltimore Orioles to bring a special evening to Casey Cares child Jacob, who is eight years old and diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition that requires brain surgery to manage. He also has two types of epilepsy as well as cerebral palsy and walks with a walker.
Jacob, or Jake, attended Orioles batting practice with his family where he met players like Austin Hayes and got signed baseballs, before throwing the game’s first pitch with the help of his older sister Madeline. Having been an O’s fan since he was three, Jacob’s favorite Orioles game memory was meeting the Oriole Bird for the first time.
Thanks to Casey Cares, Jacob has been in Casey Cares programs since 2019. With his sister Madeline, he has attended the Nutcracker Ballet and Turkey Hill Experience, visited the Maryland Zoo, received Movie & Pizza Night packages with pajamas, and watched the dinos at Jurassic Quest and more!
“Jacob’s favorite event was going to the Laurie Berkner band concert and meeting her afterwards – it was such a special and memorable day!” Jodi, his mother, says.
Jacob was born extremely prematurely and had a brain bleed, which caused his hydrocephalus diagnosis and has resulted in six brain surgeries.
His mother, Jodi, says that her son, “was born at 26 weeks and suffered a brain bleed (intraventricular hemorrhage) on his 4th day of life. The clotting from the brain bleed led to his hydrocephalus diagnosis within a couple of weeks.”
Jodi continues, “He was too small for surgical intervention at the time so we watched in agony as his head swelled with fluid and he suffered what amounted to a protracted traumatic brain injury. He had his first brain surgery at around 2 months old and ultimately had a shunt implanted in his head. He has now had 6 brain surgeries and we never know when he’ll need another one.
“He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy around age 1, and then epilepsy around age 2. He has other related conditions that impact his daily quality of life. Despite it all, he’s the happiest, sweetest little guy!” she states.
The mother of two says that each brain surgery was terrifying.
“As parents, we could never have imagined having to see our child carted off to the operating room to have a brain surgery… but we knew that these surgeries would keep him alive so there was no other choice. Jake, like many others with hydrocephalus, has what’s called a shunt. With hydrocephalus and living with a VP shunt, we know that at any point it could fail and he’ll need another surgery. We have to live with this fear every day, but are so grateful for each day that goes by without another surgery!” Jodi finds.
She adds, “While he has many challenges that impact his life daily, physically, medically, and cognitively, he brings so much joy to everyone he meets! He teaches us all about perseverance, love, and joy! His big sister, Maddy, is also the most amazing little advocate. She is so proud of her brother and does all she can, even at 10, to raise awareness of his conditions. We marvel at her maturity and are beyond proud of her!”
The Baltimore Orioles have partnered with the Casey Cares Foundation for over a decade, providing the nonprofit with tickets for critically ill children to watch baseball games and batting practice. Thank you Baltimore Orioles! Did you know you can donate baseball tickets all season long to our kids, wherever you live? Give us a call at 443-568-0064 to transfer them today!
We are immensely grateful for the incredible support and dedication of Casey Cares supporters and board members, David Beares and his wife, Abby, owners of 39 Minute Workout. Their unwavering commitment has made a significant impact on the lives of critically ill kids and families in our programs.
The Casey Cares 10th Annual Kettlebell Swing-A-Thon event was a tremendous success, as it has now raised over $160,000 in the past decade! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who created fundraising pages and participated on a sunny day of swinging kettlebells together. Your contributions have truly made a difference in the lives of critically ill children! There are still ways to donate – tap here!
A delightful day for incredible moms! In honor of Mother’s Day, Casey Cares moms and kiddos were invited to a Mother’s Day Tea Party, hosted by the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore! We loved treating close to 100 participants to a delicious brunch as kids made special bracelets for their mothers! A big thanks to Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore for donating their ballroom, time, and helping us pamper our incredible moms!
“Part of our Culture of Caring initiative is to find community partners where we can help to make a difference. We are proud to once again partner with Casey Cares and provide this very special brunch for moms and the entire family. We know it must be tough to navigate life with critically ill children so this event affords each family an opportunity to enjoy a complimentary tea party and relax in a grand ballroom,” said Richard Bryant, General Manager for Royal Sonesta Harbor Court.
The Casey Cares Paddle Up for a Purpose Pickleball Tournament, hosted by The PutAway, was an absolute smash hit last weekend! The sold-out tournament brought together men’s and women’s teams to showcase their skills and support Casey Cares. The tournament was filled with friendly competition, giveaways, prizes, and the shared goal of making a difference in the lives of critically ill children.
Thanks to your generous support, you helped us raise $30,000! The event’s proceeds will directly benefit our programs, which bring lasting memories to over 8,000 critically ill children and their families. Before players began their matches, Clyde, a brave Casey Cares child fighting spinal astrocytoma and brain glioma, and his family had the opportunity to share their inspiring story and express the difference Casey Cares has made in their lives.
Congrats to our winners!
Really Big Dill Court: Alex Kukich and Ben Weckstein
Dinking Responsibly: Joe Deluzio and Ben Salsbury
Stay Out of the Kitchen: Adero Mandala and Lucas Randrianarivelo
Court Crushers: Michelle Salmon and Bria May
Drop Shot Divas: Sandra Deluzio and Rebecca Mackowiak
Smash Squad: Melissa Wilson and Terry Jubb
A massive thank you to all participants who stepped up to the challenge and backed our kids! Your unwavering dedication made a world of difference, and we’re immensely grateful for your support. Special shoutout to our incredible sponsors, including presenting sponsor CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, for making this inaugural tournament such a success!
