Rebecca Kuczarski

Rebecca graduated from New England College in 1992 with a BA in Sociology and worked as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions for Drexel University. Previously, she organized fundraising activities for the UMASS Cancer Walk and worked for the Courageous Parents Network, an online resource for parents of children with life-limiting illnesses, as a Coordinating Producer assisting in many different areas of program implementation.

Rebecca and her family also ran the Sophia FUNd, a nonprofit they created in her daughter’s memory to provide a ray of sunshine through fun activities for families battling pediatric cancer. Sophia, the youngest of Rebecca’s three children, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in November of 2011. During this time, the Kuczarski family was introduced to Why Me and came to various family events at Sherry’s House.

On June 25, 2012, Sophia passed away unexpectedly. Sophia’s two older siblings, Ethan and Hannah, began attending a bereavement support group for siblings, while Rebecca and her husband Eric attended the bereavement support group for parents. During this time, they were able to meet other families on a similar journey and form bonds that continue to stand the test of time. Having these support systems in place during such a trying time in her family’s life helped them to continue to move forward and to begin to heal.

Rebecca began her career with Why Me in 2017 as the Fundraising Manager. She organized and executed many successful fundraisers for the organization, while simultaneously growing Why Me’s awareness within the Worcester community. Rebecca is also the leader of our Teen Group, which gives Why Me teens and siblings an opportunity to stay involved with the organization through volunteering and fun bonding activities. In her new role as Executive Director, Rebecca will not only continue to work on fundraising and community outreach, but she will also have a direct impact on the programming that Why Me offers – both new and old. She will continue to lead the Teen Group and stay involved in family services. She is excited about this new role and the opportunity to lead an organization that has a special place in her heart.