Brightside: Casey Cares Foundation
DELMARVA – Childhood cancer can bring a tear to anyone’s eye and in Maryland, a foundation makes these families’ situations a little less stressful. On this week’s edition of the Brightside, brought to you in part by Choptank Electric, the Casey Cares Foundation tells us about the peace they bring to families in need.
Sad Statistics
About 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday. Erin Ritter, the Deputy Associate Director of Casey Cares Foundation says what they do brightens someone’s day. “We really want to be that part of their life that is a bright spot, and that is a positive force during what is just like an incredibly difficult journey for our families.”
Tough Times
For the past 25 years the Casey Cares Foundation has worked not only on Delmarva she says, but in 8 other states to provide a light in the darkest of times. “A lot of times, it starts with a fever and mom brings their child to the pediatrician and they end up in the emergency room and end up finding out that they have cancer…”
She goes on to say, “We’re very aware that it impacts the sick child, but it also very much impacts the siblings, and impacts the parents and so proving some normal time, so quality family time is incredibly important.”
Fighting For Families
From sickle cell to leukemia, children are fighting every day to survive and when families are at their lowest, Casey Cares aims to lift them up. Erin Ritter says this foundation helps the families that are fighting too.
“I think the thing that I like most about Casey Cares is we don’t have a list of “yes illnesses” and “no illnesses” so, we help any child who is critically ill… Because of the way Casey Cares works we can look at each child and look at each family and see who is being most impacted and we can help those families.”
It’s been like that since Casey Cares was founded in 2000 by Casey Baynes to help children and the families grappling with life threatening illnesses. Erin says it all started on the Shore.
“Our founder went to Salisbury University. Casey and I met at Salisbury 30 years ago, and she stated Casey Cares 5 years after that. and now, we’ve been around for 25 years, I joined about 5 years into her journey so really Salisbury is where it all started.”
Creative Care
Whether it’s a trip to see Disney on ice, a family outing, a grocery card, or a pair of pajamas, Casey Care’s just tries to make times more bearable.” Our goal is that every family in our program will do at least 6 activities a year, so every other month they’re getting some normal everyday family activities, and they can be in our programs for the entire time they’re going through treatment and a year after treatment.”
Erin tells us often times this work can be tough because there’s only so much, they can do. However, if the kids aren’t giving up, neither will they. “Right now, we’re serving 1800 families actively but throughout the 25 years we supported thousands and thousands of families so yea, it’s good to be home.”
The Casey Care’s Foundation is always accepting pajamas and other donations, if you are interested and would like to help call them at 443-568-0064. If you know someone who needs their services feel free to visit their website.
