ARFY25 Stories Archives - Friends of Karen https://www.friendsofkaren.org/category/arfy25/ Supporting critically-ill children and their families Tue, 11 Nov 2025 20:30:32 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.friendsofkaren.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/fok-balloons-150x150.png ARFY25 Stories Archives - Friends of Karen https://www.friendsofkaren.org/category/arfy25/ 32 32 Finding New Ways to Cope with the Unthinkable https://www.friendsofkaren.org/finding-new-ways-to-cope-with-the-unthinkable-copy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=finding-new-ways-to-cope-with-the-unthinkable-copy Thu, 06 Nov 2025 22:02:19 +0000 https://www.friendsofkaren.org/?p=15298 “My son Kelvi was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 10 and relapsed at 14 while on treatment, making this a very long journey for Kelvi and our family. Thank God we connected with Friends of Karen, because they became a great support system for me and my children. Our Friends of Karen social worker Rhonda provided emotional support...

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“My son Kelvi was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 10 and relapsed at 14 while on treatment, making this a very long journey for Kelvi and our family. Thank God we connected with Friends of Karen, because they became a great support system for me and my children. Our Friends of Karen social worker Rhonda provided emotional support and guidance, including how to have difficult conversations about Kelvi’s illness. Friends of Karen supported me financially by helping pay some household bills, which meant I did not have to worry so much.

Melissa, a child life specialist, helped Kelvi and his sisters Keylina (age 12) and Keyla (age 7) develop a better understanding of Kelvi’s Leukemia beyond what I could explain.
She worked with them to identify ways to cope with the challenge of living with a seriously ill brother.

The support and guidance I received played a huge part in surviving this journey. I felt guilty not being able to help Kelvi initially because I didn’t know the words to use. Melissa guided me to find new ways to gently encourage him.
I noticed when Kelvi received emotional support from Melissa, he was in better spirits and felt like he could take on small challenges. Today, he’s considered cancer free and is a happy and confident boy because of the outpouring of love and support Friends of Karen has provided. Every day I thank God for putting this second family in my life, because Friends Karen is for us, a family.”

—Isalina, Kelvi’s mother

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]]> Keeping a Family Whole Through Kindness and Compassion https://www.friendsofkaren.org/keeping-a-family-whole-through-kindness-and-compassion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=keeping-a-family-whole-through-kindness-and-compassion Thu, 06 Nov 2025 22:08:35 +0000 https://www.friendsofkaren.org/?p=15300 “Valeria, who is now three years old, was born prematurely and spent two months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before coming home. When she was six months old she had complications like failure to thrive. Things got worse when she caught a cold that spiraled into cardiac arrest. A month later Valeria was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder...

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“Valeria, who is now three years old, was born prematurely and spent two months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before coming home. When she was six months old she had complications like failure to thrive. Things got worse when she caught a cold that spiraled into cardiac arrest. A month later Valeria was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Dyskeratosis Congenita that affects bone marrow and more. 

In March 2023 she received a bone marrow transplant and that’s when Friends of Karen entered our lives. Our Friends of Karen social worker Natalia has been a blessing and an incredible source of support. She takes the time to check in, ask how we’re doing, and truly listens. She creates a sense of safety that makes a real difference in our lives.

I basically moved into the hospital to be with my daughter 24 hours a day, so I had to quit my job and give up our apartment. It took almost a year for her to come home. Through it all I still had bills to pay, like my cellphone and car insurance and needed to cover my basic needs. It all left me emotionally and financially broken. How could a jobless single mother manage in this situation? It was only possible because of the help I received from Friends of Karen and the people who donate to Friends of Karen. It wasn’t just ‘money’ to me, it was a blessing, hope and possibilities, and keeping us together when we needed it the most.”

—Marcia, Valeria’s Mother

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]]> Embracing a Grieving Family https://www.friendsofkaren.org/embracing-a-grieving-family/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=embracing-a-grieving-family Thu, 06 Nov 2025 22:24:46 +0000 https://www.friendsofkaren.org/?p=15302 Micah was a seven-year-old boy who was diagnosed as a one-year-old with Menkes Disease, a genetic disorder that affects copper metabolism. He lived in the Bronx with his mother Cindy and his older brothers, Terrence (17) and Jahziah (12). Friends of Karen assisted the family with emotional support during end of life and has continued bereavement support after he died...

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Micah was a seven-year-old boy who was diagnosed as a one-year-old with Menkes Disease, a genetic disorder that affects copper metabolism. He lived in the Bronx with his mother Cindy and his older brothers, Terrence (17) and Jahziah (12). Friends of Karen assisted the family with emotional support during end of life and has continued bereavement support after he died in December 2024. Cindy shares how Friends of Karen supported her family during this unimaginably difficult time.

“Friends of Karen was truly a lifeline for me and my boys while I was caring for my son, Micah, during his long battle with Menkes Disease. They lifted so many burdens helping with rent, school supplies, Christmas gifts for my kids, birthday cards and always checking in on us. 

They were there to listen, to support, and even after Micah passed, they helped with funeral expenses and comforted us through the grief. They gave me the space to focus on my baby Micah and brought my family so much relief and kindness when we needed it most.

Also, something very important to me is how kind, sweet and compassionate our Friends of Karen social worker Alyssa has been to me. She would listen to everything I say and let me vent without interrupting. It felt great to be heard in the midst of all the chaos and overwhelming feelings my family was going through, and her voice was so comforting. Thank you, Alyssa, for that I’m forever grateful.

Without Friends of Karen, I honestly don’t know how we would have managed. Being a single mom, the financial stress alone would have been crushing on top of the emotional weight of caring for my Micah. I would have been forced to divide my attention between survival and my son, instead of being fully present with him in his final months. Friends of Karen’s support gave us peace of mind, stability, and the chance to focus on loving my beautiful boys during our worst and heartbreaking time.”

—Cindy, Micah’s Mother

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