Spring Newsletter 2025 - Friends of Karen

STORIES OF HEALING AND HOPE

Sharing our Expertise with a Wider Audience Through Forbes

Friends of Karen was invited recently to participate in Forbes EQ (Equity Quotient) BrandVoice, a content marketing initiative. We are thrilled to have this opportunity, at no cost to Friends...

The Unique Challenges of Young Adults Facing Cancer

Meet George. A cancer diagnosis in young adulthood disrupts a critical period of growth and independence. For many, this stage of life is defined by dreams of the future—beginning careers,...

Supporting His Family Through Uncertain Times

Meet Ayden. When five-year-old Ayden fell in June 2024, he felt intense pain that was not helped by an over-the-counter pain reliever. His mother, Sandra, knew it was time to...

*as of 12/31/2024

You are the heart and soul of our caring Friends of Karen community. Thank you for making a meaningful difference in the lives of the children and families we are privileged to serve.

Bobo’s Café

Bobo’s Café hosted a golf fundraiser for Friends of Karen in October at Angelbrook Golf Club in Somers. The day’s highlight was guest speaker Sterling whose family received assistance from Friends of Karen.

Hockey With a Heart

Our Long Island Advisory Board and Jr. Advisory Board helped make the New York Islanders Hockey With a Heart night a success. Friends of Karen was the selected nonprofit for the October 26th game at UBS Arena.

New York City Gala Honorees

Jim Witt, Maria Karalis, and Susan Eisner were honored at the 2024 New York City Gala for their inspiring dedication and commitment to Friends of Karen.

Thank You, Marla!

Marla Krellenstein retired at the end of December 2024 after 22 years as a social worker based in Friends of Karen’s Long Island office. Marla was looking for a meaningful new career when her three sons were grown and decided to attend SUNY Stony Brook where she earned a Master of Social Work degree. After graduation, Marla was working at Stony Brook Hospital when Friends of Karen social worker Rhonda was visiting a family there. Rhonda asked the staff if they knew anyone looking for a job as our Long Island social worker and they recommended Marla. Marla has described her work at Friends of Karen as gratifying because it allowed her to help families deal with the most difficult time of their lives. She developed an interest in working with bereaved families and will continue facilitating our monthly bereavement support group with Rhonda.

Thank you, Marla, for the guidance and support you’ve provided to so many Friends of Karen children and families. Here’s to a retirement that’s as rewarding and fulfilling as your career!

Honoring the lives of the children who have died from
August 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025

Name	Age
Adianna	17
Aiden	14
Aubrey	6
Avyn	10
Ayat	1
Daniella	22
Diego	15
Don	8
Ethan	5
Fiona	10 months
Genesis	17
Gitty	21
Isaac	6
Jonathan	18
Joseph	28
Lauren	20
Luis	20
Marcus	21
Micah	7
Noah	1
Paloma	12
Tomas	7
Xavier	6

Show your support by joining us at one of our events, a great opportunity to meet our staff, board members, and the families we serve.

Cinco de Mayo Party

May 1, Coliseum, White Plains, NY

5K Walk/Run Team at LI Marathon

May 2, Eisenhower Park – East Meadow, NY

Journey of the Heart Bike Tour

September 13-14, 2025 Litchfield County, Connecticut

Adina’s Angels 5K Walk

September 28, Rockland Lake State Park, Valley Cottage, NY

New York City Gala

October 30, Tribeca Rooftop, New York, NY

Helping Classmates Understand Their Friend’s Illness

Helping Classmates Understand Their Friend’s Illness

One of Friends of Karen’s strengths is meeting a family where they are and tailoring our support to their needs. Often that’s an opportunity to provide our expertise in new, creative ways. A perfect example of our creativity is how Jennifer, one of our Sibling Support Program professionals, worked with Michael in September 2023 when his little brother John was undergoing treatment for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, a type of blood and bone marrow cancer.

Jennifer helped Michael understand his brother’s diagnosis and he was coping well after a few months of their work together. Jennifer also worked one-on-one with John and engaged in medical play and other interventions to prepare him to begin his immunotherapy treatment in the fall of 2024.

John and his twin brother Walter were in pre-kindergarten, and their mother MJ contacted Jennifer to ask if she would provide a presentation about his cancer to the boys’ four- and five-year-old classmates. John would be coming to school now with a special backpack for his immunotherapy treatment and MJ wanted the children to be prepared.

Art is a natural way for children to express themselves, especially when the words get stuck or language isn’t enough. With the guidance from our Sibling Support Specialists (Licensed Creative Arts Therapists and Certified Child Life Specialists)
Friends of Karen children use art to tell their stories, to act as a bridge to communicate with their families.

Ayrton creates many images of hearts to represent the love for his brother Keanu who died last year. He often incorporates purple, his brother’s favorite color. The color purple represents Keanu’s spirit of love, strength, and good vibes. The image of the string heart is about the connections we have to someone after they die. We remain connected to our loved one through sharing memories, having traditions and doing activities they loved to do.

Tempie is a creative ten-year-old and the older sister of Remy. Remy was treated for leukemia which caused Tempie to worry about her brother. Tempie worked with her Creative Arts Therapist, Jane, to discuss emotions like worry and anger through storytelling and creative activities.

Jocelyn and her brother Emerson are creating a family shield. They identified strengths their family possesses that helped them through Jocelyn’s diagnosis and treatment.

Here are ways you can show your support for children battling cancer and
Friends of Karen’s efforts to support them and their families.

Make a Donation

Donate to Friends of Karen. 80% of the children helped by Friends of Karen are fighting to stay strong in their battle with cancer. Your help ensures the entire family is helped through this devastating journey. Click here to donate.

Host a Fundraiser

Click here to learn more about how to host a fundraiser in your community or virtually online.

Follow us on Social Media

Follow Friends of Karen on social media and encourage your friends and family to get involved as well! Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn @friendsofkaren

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.

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....

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...

Become a Monthly Guardian of Hope

Donate 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,...