At just five months old Carina from Westchester County, NY was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), an immune system disorder causing damaging inflammation and multi-organ failure. Carina received chemotherapy and...
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Lighting a path for a family in crisis
In October of 2020 Jennifer was an athletic ten-year old who loved to swim, skate, play football and bicycle ride. One day she started to complain that she felt pain...
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Supporting a family through the toughest of days
Alex was two months old when he was diagnosed with a genetic disorder affecting his mitochondrial metabolism that impaired his body’s cells from producing energy. There is no cure for...
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Jayden is a 16-year-old boy from Long Island who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, in January 2021. Jayden was treated and then relapsed in March of 2022 and was given a bone marrow transplant. Jayden’s eyes were damaged by Graft-Versus-Host Disease, a side-effect of the transplant. His family was paired with Friends of Karen social worker Marla who has provided emotional and psychosocial support and arranged for the family to get our help with illness-related and basic living expenses including housing assistance, and car payments and the cost of travel to the hospital for treatment. Jayden’s parents, Jose and Mary, are deeply grateful for the unwavering support they’ve received. Jose recently shared with Marla, “Without Friends of Karen, we would have had to sell our house,” underscoring the life-changing impact Friends of Karen has had on their lives during such a difficult time.
Friends of Karen is a lifeline helping each family navigate the stressful journey of their child’s illness. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and every contribution makes a significant impact.
Leave a Legacy
Begin your legacy with us. Your legacy plan starts, first, with your loved ones and then reflects what else is important to you that you want to continue long into the future. Wise planning for family, friends and charities, like Friends of Karen, that are important to you, allows you...
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Become a Monthly Guardian of Hope
By contributing a predetermined amount each month, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are providing the on-going vital support that our families need. Your donation will be charged to your credit card each month. If for any reason you wish to increase, decrease or suspend your gift, just...
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Feed a Family
At Friends of Karen, we know that a family’s financial resources are stretched thin when at least one parent must stop working to care for their critically ill child. They need help putting food on the table for their family, now more than ever with the increased cost of groceries....
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