For sisters Amelia and Elena, this month’s Sibling Spotlight, making art is in their blood. Their mother is an accomplished artist, and their home is filled with paintings, imagination and inspiration from nature. The girls are both Hozier aficionados, talented artists and overflowing with creativity. So, when Elena was diagnosed with brain cancer, finding creativity amongst the chaos was a
Exciting news! Friends of Karen was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show with guest host Molly Sims on Thursday, March 13, 2025, on NBC.
Jayden’s parents, Jose and Mary, are deeply grateful for the unwavering support they’ve received from Friends of Karen. Jose recently shared with their social worker 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.
Click here to read the full article on Forbes.comSupporting Parents Through A Child’s Serious Illness: What Truly Helps Friends of Karen is sharing its deep expertise in providing emotional support to children and families through a series of posts on the Forbes EQ (Equity Quotient) BrandVoice website.
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 these disorders, so Alex received supportive care. When Alex’s condition worsened, he was enrolled in hospice and his mother, Xheni, and father, Serdi, were referred to Friends of Karen. The
Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is upon us. Difficult times may elicit a range of reactions among the families we work with at Friends of Karen, but fierce love is always the common denominator. We have the privilege to witness acts of love big and small on a daily basis and we can’t resist an opportunity to celebrate
Spread Love This February! Every act of kindness counts. Together, we can support families in need. This February, JOIN Friends of Karen in spreading love to children battling life-threatening illnesses. Share a picture of yourself with a loved one on social media to spread kindness and hope. Snap a photo Tag US @friendsofkaren
A huge thank you to @FedEx Headquarters in Melville for hosting a holiday bake sale, with all proceeds benefiting our Friends of Karen Holiday Toy Drive! Your generous support helped spread joy to the children and families we serve. We are grateful for community partners like you! #FedExHolidayBakeSale #FriendsOfKarenToyDrive
Friends of Karen is sharing its deep expertise in providing emotional support to children and families through a series of posts on the Forbes EQ (Equity Quotient) BrandVoice website. We kicked off the three-month series with advice for parents on how to have difficult conversations with their children. You can view the article through this link. Please share your feedback
Ayrton expresses his love for his late brother through heartfelt images, using purple and gold – his brother’s favorite colors. The string heart symbolizes the enduring connections we maintain with loved ones after they pass, through memories, traditions, and shared activities. The shield represents how we confront grief, with his mom, dad, himself, and Keaneu – navigating this journey together.
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 in her body, but her father Miguel thought she might just be sore from all her activities. Over time it did not get better, so he took her to the
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 a bone marrow transplant to treat her HLH. As a result of the transplant, Carina developed severe Graft-Versus-Host Disease that occurs when the donated cells attack the recipient’s cells
For Friends of Karen the past year has been filled with both uplifting and heartbreaking stories demonstrating the strength, resilience and courage of the precious children and their loving families we are privileged to serve. We’ve spotlighted a few in this year’s Annual Report that represent the diversity of situations that we address every day. In our 46 years of
“We recently celebrated Mateo being Cancer Free for 2 years! I know that is a special day for you guys too.” – Brianna, Mateo’s mom
The holiday season is upon us and with that comes the inevitable hustle and bustle, excitement and celebration. We hope that your table is filled with abundance; of food, family and friends. We hope that your days, as the song goes, are merry and bright. A common thread that weaves throughout different cultures and religions during the holiday season is
https://www.friendsofkaren.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/instagram-tutorial.mp4 Click share icon triangle/arrow next comment icon Click “Add to story” icon Click photo to reveal story teaser text Click sticker icon to add a link (3rd icon look like a face) Use the search bar for “LINK” Click the word LINK (not the emoji chain link) Copy this url and paste in into the URL section https://bit.ly/friends-of-karen-giving-tuesday-2024 Customize
THIS GIVING TUESDAY: Every donation will be matched up to $25,000, thanks to the generosity of longtime friends, PK and Richard Klein. Your support can double the impact and bring more help and hope to families with children facing life-threatening illnesses.
Previous Next Thank you to everyone who made our Heroes Among Us Gala a success! From our incredible sponsors and honorees to our dedicated board members and amazing attendees—your support means the world to us. The evening’s highlight was hearing the heartfelt stories of Ariana, Christa, and their families, reminding us of how Friends of Karen had their back during
The struggles Friends of Karen families face may appear to be a hurdle in recognizing the positive, yet year after year Friends of Karen children show us that love and appreciation so often grow stronger with struggle. That perspective helps these families recognize what fills their hearts with thanks. We are grateful for our own community at Friends of Karen; the resilient families, compassionate staff and volunteers and the generous donors. Together we belong to a community bond by hope and kindness.
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