November 2023

Dear Friends,

Why Me’s story is one of resilience, starting with a few dedicated volunteers, a handful of families, little money, and first-hand knowledge of the support services that would be most helpful. We persevered through the years, building Sherry’s House while the need for our services grew. In 2020, we faced adversity head-on when the Covid-19 pandemic changed how we supported our families. Through the years, we continue to adapt to new challenges that come our way.

This year, on a frigid Sunday morning in February, a sprinkler pipe in the playroom at Sherry’s House burst. Water poured down all over our beautiful paper cranes, into the kitchen, and down the ductwork into our office. The extensive damage brought the playroom down to the studs and made way for kitchen and office renovations. For the nine months that Sherry’s House was under renovation, our staff worked tirelessly, remaining focused on meeting the needs of our families without interruption.

Resiliency continues to be essential in our everyday work. If you look in the eyes of a child battling cancer, you will see tenacity and resilience, longing to be a normal child. The fact is a family that has a childhood cancer diagnosis is anything but normal. These families are isolated, fractured, and just trying to get by, which is why our services are so important. We bring families together, help them create new memories to last long beyond cancer treatment, and reassure them they are not alone.

You can be a part of creating these memories and giving families hope. Just think of the difference you can make. A donation of…

♥ $100 will buy take-out for 1 family in residence at Sherry’s House. After a long day at the hospital, this will give them a night off from cooking.
♥ $250 will purchase 1 month of chips, cookies, and other snacks to be brought to the hospital for clinic visits.
♥ $500 will send a mother and father away to our annual Bereavement Retreat weekend. This weekend is for them to focus on their grief and the child they lost.
♥ $2,500 pays for one week of entertainment at our Summer Camp.
♥ $5,000 will provide 5 graduating Why Me teens with a scholarship for their future endeavors.

This year, with the help of our friends, supporters, and donors, we helped our Why Me families root for the WooSox from a suite, drop the puck at a Worcester Railers game, get princess makeovers, search eagerly for Easter Eggs at our annual Easter Egg Hunt, catch fish at our annual Spree Day, cheer with excitement at the Celtics, and so many other experiences.

In these last 38 years, we have helped over 1,000 families through the shocking words, “Your child has cancer,” and that number continues to grow at record rates. You can be a part of continuing to create special memories and new support services through a gift to Why Me. Please make your tax-deductible checks payable to Why Me and mail them to 1152 Pleasant Street, Worcester MA 01602. You can also make your secure contribution online, here. Please note Annual Appeal in the comments section.

Thank you for investing in Why Me and our future. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Warm regards,

 

 

Rebecca Kuczarski
Executive Director

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” – Maya Angelou

 

December 2022

Dear Friends,

Ten years ago, I lost my four-year-old daughter to Leukemia. Sophia was an absolute ray of sunshine. The youngest of my three children, she was carefree, kind, thoughtful, and adoring of her older siblings, Ethan and Hannah. Upon Sophia’s diagnosis, our lives became fraught with uncertainty. Our world turned upside down emotionally and financially.

We were a Why Me family for the seven months that Sophia was on treatment before her unexpected passing – attending the Holiday Party and Easter Egg Hunt and participating in the parent support group. We got by with the support of our community, but once Sophia was gone, we worried about what support, if any, would still be available.

There’s this saying you hear around Why Me, “Once a Why Me family, always a Why Me family,” and it rang true. We were given bereavement support, not just for my husband Eric and me but also for the kids. We met other bereaved families, and our children formed life-long bonds. This support was pivotal in our healing.

Five years ago, I joined Why Me as the fundraising manager. This August, I became the Executive Director and now oversee the creation and maintenance of programming that was helpful to our family, bringing me full circle with the organization. Hospital visits with coffee and donuts, the presents that showed up when Sophia landed in the hospital right before Christmas, and all the small things in between, were such a relief to us and continue to be for other families like ours.

I can assure you that a childhood cancer diagnosis leaves an impact that lasts a lifetime. Just think of the difference you can make! Every clinic visit, support group meeting, and family fun event would not be possible without our extended community of Why Me supporters.

My family is just one of over 800 that Why Me has supported in the last 37 years. You can be a part of continuing to create special memories and new support services through a gift to Why Me. Please take a moment and read through our annual appeal, highlighting a few of our families and their personal journey with childhood cancer.  It also includes some of our family events and fundraisers from the last few years and some dates to note for 2023. Consider making your tax-deductible donation to Why Me here, or mail in your contribution to us at 1152 Pleasant Street, Worcester MA 01602. Please note Annual Appeal in the comments section.

By supporting Why Me, you are investing in our future, so we can continue to help children like my Sophia. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Warm regards,

Rebecca Kuczarski

Executive Director

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb