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!
It was the Florida friend-raiser to taco-bout! More than 150 local community members joined us at Lakewood Country Club as we hosted the “Let’s Taco-Bout Casey Cares Foundation” event in support of our programs. With fiesta-inspired food, an open bar, lively music, a photo booth, a shared commitment to making a difference in the lives of critically ill children, the evening was nothing short of fantastic!
A heartfelt appreciation goes to event co-chairs and Casey Cares Board members, Lee Ann and Craig Reich for helping to organize the evening! WIth over $25,000 raised thanks to the community’s generosity, we will be able to provide an additional 250 summer activities to families and 500 extra Moive & Pizza Night packages to homebound children. As the night began, Jordan, a Casey Cares child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and his family had the opportunity to share their son’s medical story and express the impact Casey Cares had on their lives.
We are grateful to all the caring Florida community members who joined us and supported our kids! Your involvement made a significant impact on the +195 critically ill children and their families we serve in Florida alone!
Thank you also to our Cinco Committee members: Michelle Caba, Margaret White, Cathy Smith, Patti O’Neill, and Lisa Panozzo.
A major thanks to all of our sponsors who helped make our inaugural tournament such a success, especially our Presenting Sponsor, the Sassano Family!
Pinata Party Sponsor: Tim and Patti O’Neill
Taco Tastemaker Sponsors: Amy & Keith King, Susan Hendrix, Nannette Adair with Rex Shoes
Tequila Sunrise Sponsors: Steve & Katherine Jenson, Luhrsen Goldberg LLC, Stephen Rosser and Brett Price with Smart Shield Homes
Partners: Sarasota Entertainment Company, Party Popping Events, Grant Hemond and Associates, Card My Yard
Over the years, Casey Cares has had the privilege of touching the lives of thousands of critically ill kids thanks to your support. That includes children who have now graduated to the title of “alumni patient” of our programs. While some leave our programs when they turn 18, others depart when they no longer meet the criteria of being diagnosed with a critical illness, experiencing frequent hospitalizations, receiving active treatment, or being on hospice care. Each alumni patient’s journey is a testament to their resilience, the support they have received, and the lasting impact that Casey Cares has had on their lives. Read “Little Moments, Lasting Stories” alumni feature with Natalie! Natalie is no longer frequently hospitalized!
Meet Natalie
“When Natalie was born, the doctor knew something wasn’t right so he ordered genetic testing. About 3 weeks later, we received the news that Natalie had a rare chromosomal syndrome called Trisomy 9 Mosaicism,” Karen, Natalie’s mother shares.
Karen remembers that during the first months after becoming a mom to Natalie, she “was a mix of emotions – from scared to sad to upset. But I was also able to find moments of joy in between all of the times I was worried about how I would manage her care and her needs. At the time she was diagnosed, there was very little known about Trisomy 9, so we were kind of on our own when it came to learning about how that syndrome would play out for Natalie’s future.”
She continues, “Natalie cannot talk or walk; she has a feeding tube and will never be potty-trained, so she wears diapers. Although Natalie is a very happy teenager, she functions at the level of an 18-month-old and always will. She sleeps in a hospital-like crib and must be lifted out of that every morning into her wheelchair. She receives 5 medicines daily for reflux, saliva control, seizures, GERD and bowel issues.”
“Natalie’s gastric tube (G-tube) was placed in her stomach when she was about 2 weeks old because she can’t really eat much by mouth. We hook her up every night to her feeding pump so she can receive Pediasure or Boost formula. But over the years, with feeding therapy, she is now able to eat things like apple sauce and yogurt by mouth during the day. She can only consume about 6 ounces of food daily, so she’ll need to fed through her g-tube for the rest of her life in order to sustain any weight,” her mother says.
Natalie and her older sister Rachel have an undeniable bond. Her mother states, “Even though Natalie is not able to talk, it’s clear to everyone that she adores Rachel and that Natalie is the light of Rachel’s life. They have their own ‘secret handshake’ and Natalie only likes to ‘wheelchair dance’ with her big sister.”
Finding Support With Casey Cares
In 2018, Karen learned about Casey Cares “through a support group at our local children’s hospital called ‘Chronically Cool Families.'” A few weeks later, she sent in an application for her daughter. Though the mother of two has fond memories of all the activities her family did through Casey Cares, Karen says, “I think the highlights were movie tickets, receiving the Elsa wig that she wore when her older sister played “Anna” in a Frozen musical, and the Disney Jr. musical. Natalie loves to watch characters sing and dance! Rachel has been to the movies with Natalie and has also shared the pizza and PJs nights with her.”
Reflecting on her family’s time with Casey Cares, Karen’s favorite part of the nonprofit has been “the compassion that we know is behind every gift and every activity offered – the staff and generous donors who give these gifts are truly wonderful people.”
After Natalie’s diagnosis, Karen faced new challenges as well. ” Natalie has had numerous surgeries and several ER visits related to respiratory distress. But by far the biggest scare we’ve ever had was when she contracted an infection from a spinal fusion procedure. She was in the PICU for 4 months and we almost lost her. Thankfully, the medical team was able manage the infection and Natalie bounced back. Having a child with medically complex needs is like a roller coaster ride and you just never know when the mountains or valleys are coming. You are stronger than you can imagine. You CAN do this!” she states.
As mother to a child with medically complex needs, Karen has learned to lean on support from other special needs moms and families over the years.
She expresses, “I have met my ‘village’ through my daughter’s school, and her hospital visits. They are my ‘go to’ people not just for resources and answers to some of our medical questions, but they truly understand what it’s like to raise and care for a child who is medically complex and has special needs. Doctors, nurses and therapists are wonderful, but sometimes, only other parents who are walking in your shoes really ‘get’ you and can be there for you through your darkest and happiest moments with your child.”
An Alumni
With Natalie now an alumni of Casey Cares, Karen finds this to “mean that we always have an extended family of people who understand our journey, but more importantly, we hope it may also mean that we can now provide emotional or financial support to a family who may be struggling and just may need to lean on someone else for a while.”
Going forward, Natalie will be cared for her by her parents, primarily Karen, but during the school day, her needs are tended to by her private duty nurse. She adds, “We are hopeful that as Natalie ages, she will always be able to have a nurse who can help manage her care.”
Karen ends with adivce to other Casey Cares families who also have a medically complex child. “Trust your instincts when it comes to your child. Find your voice and help them find theirs when it comes to advocating for their needs. Soak up every moment of joy, no matter how small, because as tough as it can be to raise a child who is medically complex, they tend to bring out the best in everyone and when that happens, it’s magical to witness,” she states.
Your support helped bring dozens of fun activities for Natalie when she was a patient in our programs! Help more kids like her here!
We’ve been celebrating #NationalWearYourPajamasToWorkDay and #CaseyCaresBiggestPJParty all month-long!
We cannot even begin to describe how grateful and thankful for YOU and every donation that has been made and will be coming in! From dozens of Amazon boxes arriving toour office each week and schools like Rosedale Christian Academy whose students brought in 1,726 pajamas, each pajama and gift card donation makes a big impact. Thanks to businesses to schools to religious groups to clubs, THOUSANDS of critically ill kids in hospitals across the country will get a familiar comforting item and it will bring a smile to their faces! We’re excited to announce our final pajama total in a few weeks and we look to reach our goal of collecting 17,000 pajamas!
We loved seeing everyone wearing their pajamas in support of our programs! Thank you! Did you know you can support #CaseyCaresBiggestPJParty any day of the year long? You can keep collecting pajamas and checking out our Amazon wish list or donate money towards pajamas here!
It was the perfect day for Florida tennis players! Wellington Tennis Center hosted the Casey Cares Love-All Tennis Tournament as a sold-out crowd of over 100 participants rallied on the courts to play tennis in support of the Casey Cares Foundation. With friendly competition, giveaways, prizes, and a shared commitment to making a difference in the lives of critically ill children, it was truly a perfect day on the court.
A heartfelt appreciation goes to event co-chair and Casey Cares Board member, Kristina Bostwick for organizing the tournament. Proceeds from the event will benefit our programs that provide enjoyable activities to critically ill children
and their families. We serve over 195 critically ill children and their families in Florida alone, helping to make a significant impact on their lives.
Unfortunately, Ryder, an 8-year-old Casey Cares child diagnosed with Short Bowel Syndrome, and his family were unable to attend as planned due to a medical emergency (thankfully, Ryder is doing okay!). Casey Baynes read the speech they prepared which read, in part, “Thanks to the Casey Cares Foundation, we are able to give [Ryder] a childhood and experiences that we will never forget. he finally knows what it feels like to be part of a loving family and to just be a kid. We are beyond grateful to be a part of something so incredible. Thank you all for your support.”
Congrats to the winners of our matches:
Martina Flight – Jill Giocli and Melissa Angel-Johnson
Chrissy Flight – Laura Maher and Tracy Carter
Serena Flight – Wendie Unger and Kristi Bomar
Billy Jean Flight – Paula Diaz and Debbie DeDea
Andre Flight – Gary Harmon and Dean Barrett
Roger Flight – Mike DiMayo and Michael DiMayo
Rafa Flight – Thad Millsap and Stephen Jochnau
We are grateful to all the participants who hit the courts and supported our kids! Your involvement made a significant impact, and we thank you for your dedication to serving Casey Cares and the children and families it supports. Thank you also to our Tennis Committee members: Nora Conlin, Jessica Moisdon, Missy Lee, Diana Drayton, and Amy Roberts.
Thanks to all of our sponsors who helped make our inaugural tournament such a success!
Silver Sponsors: Kristina Bostwick, Ellen Onofrietto with She’s The One Boutique, Jessica Moisdon with Color Fast Studios, Kari Levy with KL Luxary Homes, The Walters Family, Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez Bruno, and Lauriston Segerson
Court Sponsors: The DiMayo Fmaily Foundation
Team Sponsors: Brian Buckstein with GSB Law Firm, Doug Marty with Wellington National Golf Club, Scott Lee with SJW Law Group, House Call Trainers, and Dr. Kenneth Jaffe, MD, PMSI Promos
Thanks to the generosity of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida kids Sawyer and Chris enjoyed a special spring training experience! Sawyer, who loves fishing and football, served as the Play Ball child by announcing “Play Ball,” and later enjoyed the Pirates vs Detroit Tigers game with his family.
Accompanied by his parents, Jeanna and Ryan, as well as his brother, Sawyer’s attendance at the spring training event was a significant occasion for the entire family, who learned about his cystic fibrosis diagnosis after adopting him and his brother. Sawyer loved the entire day because of the “possibility of catching a ball and [eating] hotdogs.”
Since joining Casey Cares in 2019, Sawyer’s favorite activity that Casey Cares provided him with was a visit to “Monster Jam because it’s loud and a lot of fun,” he says.
With Casey Cares, the 11-year-old loves that the nonprofit, “helps brighten up kid’s days.”
Joining Sawyer was 16-year-old Christopher, who is also diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Chris had the honor of throwing the first pitch and later enjoyed the Pirates game with his mother and father Michelle and Chris, along with his younger sister Ayla.
His favorite activity that Casey Cares provided him with was also the watching Monster Jam because “I love Grave Digger. I had a Power Wheels one when I was little that I could drive,” he says.
With Casey Cares, Chris loves that, “I get to do fun stuff with my family that we wouldn’t or couldn’t normally do.”
Thank you again to the Pittsburgh Pirates for continuing to give a once-in-a-lifetime experiences to Casey Cares kids like Chris and Sawyer! These seemingly little moments truly make lasting memories for critically ill children who undergo challenging medical treatments. Casey Cares always appreciates in-kind donations of tickets to sporting events for the kids in our programs! Please email them to our Program Director Summer at [email protected].
The Casey Cares 24th Annual Totally 80’s Gala was a rad night celebrating all of Casey Cares amazing programs and activities for critically ill children!
Beginning with a sparkling cocktail hour that included amazing food, drinks, a classic 80’s prom backdrop, and live jazz music, guests immediately were taken back to the 80’s! They even got to take pictures with the Charm City Ghostbusters group who made sure that our event was ghost-free!
The fun was emceed by the fantastic Weather Channel meteorologist and longtime Casey Cares supporter Lynette Charles and newcomer Stevie Daniels, the Weekday Morning meteorologist at WMAR.
Guests bid on amazing live and silent auction items – destination trips, a Jimmy Buffet guitar, VIP tickets to a Washington Capitals game, and more!
In addition, we showed a video highlighting one of our Casey Cares families. Micah is 6 years old and diagnosed with LAMA2 congenital muscular dystrophy. The video, sponsored by the Bostwick Family, illustrated the journey that Micah and his family have gone through and how much Casey Cares continues to support them. You can watch the video here.
The night ended with happy guests showing off their dancing skills!
A massive thanks to the National Foundation for Affordable Housing Solutions, Arco Management Corp/MMS Group, Arfaa Law Group, CohnReznick, King & Spalding LLP, The Bostwick Family, and Weltchek Mallahan & Weltchek for your generous sponsorships!
Gold Sponsors: Carding Group, EagleBank, Gragg Cardona Souadi, Henry A. Strohminger Family Foundation, MileOne, and Paul Capodanno with Capitol Wealth Management Group
Silver Sponsors: DiMayo Family Foundation, Ellin & Tucker, Live! Casino & Hotel, Reno & Cavanaugh, Salsbury Sullivan Law, and The Herman & Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai
Bronze Sponsors: Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, Constellation, CR of Maryland, Fulton Bank, Goodman-Gable-Gould, Adjusters International, Goulston & Storrs, Heineken, Janice & Greg Gallagher, Riverdrop Coaching & Consulting, Ruppert Properties, and Sons of The American Legion
Thank you to our wonderful media and in-kind sponsors: HeidnSeek Entertainment, DowntownDiane.net, WCBM Talk Radio, Bridge Tower Media – The Daily Record, Baltimore Magazine, Focus On Women Magazine, CityPeek, Atlantic Caterers, Berger Cookies, Charm City Ghostbusters, Electric Events DC, Tom Reyes & Friends, Triangle Sign Services, and White Clover Floral Events
Casey Cares founder and executive director Casey Baynes, presented our annual Champion of Children Awards to Natalie Arteen and Kevin Ebert from M&T Bank. As the recipient of our Champion of Children Award, M&T Bank has been a devoted supporter of Casey Cares families since 2007. From suite tickets to Capitals, Flyers, Wizards, and NCAA games to amazing concerts like Dua Lipa, Jonas Brothers and John Mayer, to sponsorships of our major yearly fundraisers, M&T Bank has made a significant difference in the lives of those we serve.
Casey Cares also wants to extend our thanks to Peter Watts from Five Arrows Photography and Teza Monet for the incredible pictures of the gala.
Thank you to everyone for your continued support for Casey Cares, our programs, and most of all, the over 1,600 kids and families we serve! Check out more gala photos here! If you could not make it to our Gala and want to make a donation, please do today!
Over the years, Casey Cares has had the privilege of touching the lives of thousands of critically ill kids thanks to your support. That includes children who have now graduated to the title of “alumni patient” of our programs. While some leave our programs when they turn 18, others depart when they no longer meet the criteria of being diagnosed with a critical illness, experiencing frequent hospitalizations, receiving active treatment, or being on hospice care. Each alumni patient’s journey is a testament to their resilience, the support they have received, and the lasting impact that Casey Cares has had on their lives. Read our first ever “Little Moments, Lasting Stories” alumni feature with Sa’Mari! Sa’Mari is no longer actively receiving treatment and she is no longer frequently hospitalized!
Sa’Mari Strong
After becoming Sa’Mari’s mother, Samia remembers, “thinking that I was blessed to have such a good baby. From the time Sa’Mari was born, she slept through the night and rarely ever cried. She was a very content baby girl.”
However, Samia first noticed something unusual with her daughter’s pupil.
“I first suspected something was going on when Sa’Mari was about two months old. I’d notice a white spot in her left pupil when I would take pictures of her with flash and sometimes even without flash, I would see it,” Samia states.
She continues, “Sa’Mari was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma when she was four months old. Her original pediatrician referred us to a children’s eye doctor at Kids Eye Care of Maryland. From there the eye doctor then referred us to a specialist in Philadelphia at Wills Eye Hospital who confirmed her diagnosis. They advised us to start chemotherapy right away and that was what we did.”
“Even after our family learned of her diagnosis, I noticed that she was still always very happy and in good spirits all while going through treatment. She almost never had bad or sad days from what we all could see, and I was so grateful for that,” Samia notes.
After Sa’Mari’s retinoblastoma diagnosis, which is rare form of cancer that rapidly develops in the retina (the very back part of the eye), “her day-to-day care wasn’t very different from the average child. In fact, it may have been easier because of how easy going and calm she always was. As a baby the only time she’d really cry, or fuss was when she’d have to get labs or needles.”
Samia adds, “Throughout the years of her treatment, she was always positive aside from that which made caring for her fairly easy. I would say it has changed because she is older and more curious of things like why she looks different than other children and explaining that to her would likely be the hardest part of caring for her.”
Finding Support With Casey Cares
As her young daughter went through numerous therapies and treatments, Samia “learned about Casey Cares through my late aunt Sharina, who’s son, Uriyah is a part of Casey Cares.”
Having joined Casey Cares when she was two, Sa’Mari loved going to the Orioles baseball games, shows like Disney on Ice, and Ringling Circus.
“Our favorite activities were anything we could do together as a family. There was nothing we didn’t enjoy!” Samia says.
Reflecting on her family’s time with Casey Cares, Samia “loved that Casey Cares takes care of the whole family and makes sure to include everyone. Sa’Mari has been able to experience so much with her sisters and our family that I’m not sure we would’ve been able to do without Casey Cares.”
After Sa’Mari was diagnosed with cancer, Samia faced new challenges as well. “Being as though Sa’Mari’s treatment was so frequent, I couldn’t fully commit to a job until she completed treatment. Every time we’d think we were in the clear the tumor would return and we would have to start treatment again,” she states.
But, Samia credits her village for helping Sa’Mari, and herself, stay strong. “I can say that I have a great village behind us. We have received so much support over the years from numerous people including Casey Cares and other organizations. We have gotten a lot of support from our families, some of them even taking the time to come and stay with us for the week that she would receive treatment. We wouldn’t have made it this far without our village!”
She also notes that “my advice to any family with a medically complex child would be to just take everything one day at a time. While your child is most important, make sure to still take care of yourself and remember that you can’t pour from an empty glass so make your mental health and well being a priority as well as theirs.”
2023 marked Sa’Mari’s first full year in her life that was completely cancer free! The family celebrated her end of treatment with 5 day trip to Disney World for her 3rd birthday. “It was so fun and memorable for our whole family,” Samia says.
An Alumni
After years of endless treatments and surgeries, Sa’Mari’s care going forward has changed.
Her mother explains, “Sa’Mari is able to live a normal life. Since ending treatment she’s enrolled in daycare, made tons of new friends, and been able to just relax without all of the stress of frequent hospital visits. We still have a little ways to go before she’s completely in the clear but we’re grateful for every moment we have together no matter what it is.”
She adds, “It’s a bittersweet feeling becoming an alumni of Casey Cares because we’ve been able to make so many memories as a family with the program. It’s brought us together in many ways. I’m glad that with Sa’Mari becoming an alumni, another child will be able to become apart of the program and be able to create the memories as well just like she did.”
Samia concludes, “Sa’Mari has formed a strong bond with just about every person she’s ever met. Her spirit is truly something I’ve never witnessed until I had her. She is one of the sweetest little souls I’ve ever met. She’s nothing short of one of a kind.”
Your support helped bring dozens of fun activities for Sa’Mari when she was a patient in our programs! Help more kids like her here!
