Ty was 4 years old in June 2021 when he was diagnosed with B cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of blood cancer. He has completed his course of treatment and is in the survivorship phase of his illness journey. Survivorship is the period after treatment including long-term follow-up for health issues and addressing remaining emotional and psychosocial issues
Back to school season has long been a busy time at Friends of Karen. For weeks employees and volunteers have been tirelessly working to fulfill school supply lists for our Friends of Karen children and their siblings. It is all well worth it when we receive photos of the adorable children smiling ear to ear with the wonderful backpacks of
Seventeen years ago, in appreciation for the support they received when their son was ill, the Anderson Family established our Friends of Karen 5K Team for the Long Island Marathon weekend, and their unwavering dedication has made a lasting impact. This year, they went above and beyond by participating in several media interviews, helping raise visibility and vital funds for our mission. We are deeply grateful for their continued support and for courageously sharing Luke’s story with the community.
In March at our Long Island AlwaysGold Gala, we proudly honored Michael Bauer (L), Senior Data Analyst at Sedgwick, and Rory Bulovas (R), President & CEO of Bulovas Restorations Inc., pictured with Friends of Karen Regional Director, Leslie Bellissimo. Their remarkable efforts helped us exceed our fundraising goal of $275,000, and we welcomed over 300 guests in attendance. It was an unforgettable evening celebrating Friends of Karen’s mission and the incredible support of our community.
Our Jr. Advisory Board Members, Charli, Alexa, and Jack, hosted a successful restaurant fundraiser at Chris & Tony’s, raising over $4,000 for Friends of Karen! Their dedication and hard work were integral to the event’s success, showcasing their commitment to making a difference in the lives of families in need.
Angel was 19 when he passed away in September 2023 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Angel and his single mother Milagros were paired with Friends of Karen social worker Rhonda during his treatment. Rhonda continues to support Milagros for bereavement support. Milagros shares her memories of Angel and how Friends of Karen helped the family.
Friends of Karen currently supports eight families whose child is in treatment for Sickle Cell disease. September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Friends of Karen is marking the month by shining a light on the illness and how we support children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and their families.
Midsummer’s Dream Evening was held in July at the Coliseum in White Plains to a room filled with enthusiastic Friends of Karen supporters, many new to our organization. Thank you to our sparkling Master of Ceremonies, Blaise Gomez from News12 New York.
Charlotte chose Friends of Karen to benefit from Scarsdale High School’s Community Service Day. Charlotte raised money and bought art supplies to make 150 art bags for Friends of Karen’s children. Each high school student filled a bag with art supplies and made a card to include with each one.
Cate Bartilucci of Luna Power Yoga in Danbury, CT along with Lululemon and Soulber Kitchen & Market hosted “Yoga in the Park” to benefit Friends of Karen. Everyone who participated enjoyed a peaceful morning practicing Yoga in the park for a special local cause.
When their five-year-old son, Taylor, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2012, his parents Ron and Kesa were at a loss. How were they going to manage when Kesa had to give up her job as a human resources analyst to be Taylor’s primary caregiver? Like so many parents, Ron and Kesa didn’t know what to expect or what they
Sibling Support Specialist, Melissa, provided emotional support to Rubi, Cata, and April during Cata’s illness and the siblings many months of separation. Melissa also provided illness education, ensuring they understood Cata’s illness and treatment.
Congratulations on your graduation and to all the Friends of Karen graduates who have reached this significant milestone. Your achievements are truly inspiring to all of us at Friends of Karen.
Well done!
Finest is a 20-year-old college student being treated for a recurrence of Synovial Sarcoma, a soft tissue tumor, that first occurred when he was 15 years old. His mother Melissa was interviewed about how Friends of Karen has helped her, Finest and his 18-year-old brother Malik.
When the school year ends, a large portion of our day that had been structured activity is now open. Siblings of ill children are kept engaged at school so they typically do not have to go to doctor appointments or stay long hours at the clinic with their ill brother or sister. But when school ends, parents may feel more
Alyssa and Melissa are the two newest social workers at Friend of Karen, having joined the organization two years ago. They share their perspectives on working with children being treated for cancer, and their family members.
For the past 25 years, Denise Tredwell has been Friends of Karen’s Volunteer Coordinator. Among her responsibilities, Denise has managed the gift programs, including Back-to-School, holiday Adopt-a-Family, and birthdays. She has worked with hundreds of wonderful people of all ages and backgrounds who generously give their time and talents in a multitude of ways to benefit the children and families
The little children and teens that Friends of Karen Sibling Support Program professionals work with are carrying some big feelings. How can they not? They are experiencing unimaginable stress, change and worry. Those feelings are hard to talk about, but Friends of Karen’s four licensed creative arts therapists and child life specialists know from experience feelings will only grow if
The Friends of Karen Family Support Team develop strong bonds with the families they work with through the span of many months and at times years. Though every family is unique and we view each member of the family as special, the boundless love and strength of the mothers inspire our continuous and steadfast support. We know that so often
Westchester Chi Omega Alumnae Association hosted their 30th Annual Tag Sale. Gwen Salmo, Friends of Karen’s Special Events Coordinator, and her Chi Omega sorority sisters organized the tag sale for the 30th year!
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