Why Me

Love and Support for Families with Childhood Cancer

Spin for Kids 2021 – Thank you Andy Sharry

Andy, center, at the Bermuda Marathon in 2000 with the Why Me Running team

Andy Sharry reached out to us in 2017 and proposed joining forces with Worcester Fitness to raise money through a Spin-a-thon.

Andy has been involved with Why Me in many different ways.  He coached our marathon running teams, was a member of our board of directors, and held small events to raise money here and there for us over the years.

When he came to us with this new idea, immediately we agreed.

Our first Spin for Kids happened on March 4, 2018.  We had 25 bikes, 3 instructors and over the 4 hours each participant rode about 75 miles. We had lofty goals of raising a few thousand dollars in just a few months and managed to raise a whopping $20,500.

The next year, 2019, increased with 28 bikes and the same grit to endure the 4 hours of being on a spin bike.  We thought if we could raise $20,000 last year; why not try for $30,000.  Our amazing riders, along with some sponsors, raised over $37,000, blowing our goal out of the water.

March 9, 2020, 32 riders spun a total of 2,400 miles and raised just over $47,000 for Why Me.  The next day Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts and the rest of our fundraisers for 2020 were cancelled.  Our physical office closed for 6 months but cancer does not stop, so we adjusted the way services were provided and helped our families feel supported when times were extremely tough.

Worcester Fitness also closed for many months and like the rest of us, continues to see the effects of the pandemic one-year later. We expected to put Spin for Kids on hold in 2021 but in January, Andy reached out and we made a go of it.  We shifted the event to a whole week to add a virtual component and challenged participants to spin 100 miles over the week.  We also added an at-home “Spin Your Way” option for families to get moving for a total of 10 hours in a week.  Lastly, we were able to have a small in-person group, who were pushed to the max during the live 2-hour event.

This year, Spin for Kids made over $10,000 and over the last four years has raised almost $120,000 for Why Me.

None of this would have been possible without the heart and soul of Spin for Kids, Andy Sharry.  Andy motivates like no other and he knows how to help others reach down deep to persevere. Andy is the first to be choked up when listening to a Why Me parent share their child’s journey at Spin for Kids and uses that emotion for inspiration.

Thank you Andy for caring so deeply. We could not ask for a better coach in our corner.

Andy closing out the last hour of our first Spin for Kids in 2018 {Photo Credit to Kill the Ball Media}

 

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Covid-19 pandemic – one year later, thanks to our community

Greetings to our Why Me Families, Volunteers, and Supporters –

This has certainly been an unprecedented twelve months. One year ago, we all put our lives on hold and hunkered down for two weeks.
Weeks turned into months, rooms in our homes became offices and schoolrooms, and familiar routines gave way to evolving uncertainty. Perhaps most disruptive was the loss of in-person contact. We all stopped visiting each other, talking face to face, and a good old hug became an elbow bump at best.

We have all done our best to maintain our careers, relationships, and sanity.  As I write this letter, spring is in the air, spirits are lifting, and hearts are hopeful that our toughest days are behind us.  Many of us are getting our vaccine, schools are moving toward full in-person learning, and businesses will follow. We have all come to appreciate that which was lost and we look to the future with optimism.

I would like to thank all our supporters from the bottom of our full hearts. Together we have made the most of a difficult time and emerged stronger for it.

Family Fun Events that we have had in place for years had to be re-imagined to accommodate new realities. These safety constraints were critical for our families given their fragile health and compromised immune systems. With that came indomitable spirit and grateful hearts for whatever we came up with. We made the most of our wonderful grounds at Sherry’s House with the Haunted Halloween Stroll, Holiday Drive Thru, and Angel Tree Walk.  We spent many evenings gathering virtually, whether for support groups or fun – including bingo, cooking and trivia nights.  How wonderful that we have been able to continue our traditions and reaffirm that it doesn’t matter where or how we gather but only that we come together to support each other.  As most of our fundraisers were cancelled last year, all of this was made possible through the generosity of our donors and supporters. To every single one of you who helped us provide love and support to our families, thank you.

We are making plans for Family Fun Events and all our popular events and gatherings just as soon as it is safe to do so. To our dedicated volunteers, get ready! We will be in touch in the coming months to let you know what we have in store for you and ask that you be patient for just a little longer.  If you are not signed up to volunteer with us but would like to, please download the application here.  If you would like to get involved from afar, check out our website for fun virtual fundraisers or send us some items from our wish list to keep our pantry stocked.

We are so excited for the light at the end of the tunnel. Better times are coming.  Thank you for standing alongside us through this unpredictable year.

Be safe and be joyful,

David Hagan, Executive Director

Ashlyn Mercier – Miss Gold Coast 2021

Miss Gold Coast is a part of the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Organization, Inc. – supporting the advancement of women in society by embracing diversity, education and civic action. The organization invests in the women of Connecticut to further their education and provides a platform to propel their futures.  I will be competing in the Miss Connecticut competition this April! I am beyond excited to embark on this journey and am so grateful to have this opportunity. Throughout this year, I will be working with organizations that help bring positivity into the lives of children battling critical illnesses.  Like my Facebook page to follow me along on my journey and the road to Miss Connecticut, as well as my impact with Nick’s Courage: One Smile Goes a Mile.

Why Me Holiday Party 2010

My brother Nicholas was only two years old when he received his Leukemia diagnosis, the next four years of his life he battled harder than anyone I know. Nick showed my entire family and me what it meant to be truly courageous and to be a hero. Battling pediatric cancer is hard on so many levels; it takes away a part of your childhood that you can never get back. For these kids it replaces what is supposed to be youth sports and playground fun with surgeries, prescriptions, and hospital rooms.

Why Me was there for Nick, to bring fun and lighthearted events back into his life. Through their Family Fun events, Nick got the opportunity to play and have fun like a kid again. For me as a sibling, I got to meet other families and siblings of children with childhood cancer which served as a beautiful reminder that Nick and my family were never alone in his fight. Nick and I’s favorite event to attend through Why Me was Spree Day. Every year we got to go to the 200 Sportsmen’s Club and compete in activities such as fishing, archery, and shooting BB guns. This event brought out my family’s competitive side and brought so much laughter and joy into our lives. The most magical event though is the Holiday Party, which was an event we had the opportunity to attend every year around Christmas time. What blew me away the most as a child and still to this day, is that every single child, including siblings that attended the Holiday Party received a Christmas gift. It brought so much joy to everyone there.

Why Me Spree Day 2014

As Miss Gold Coast 2021, I want to give back to Why Me for all of the joy they have brought into my family’s life and all the joy they continue to bring into the lives of others. Through my social impact initiative, as part of the Miss America organization, Nick’s Courage: One Smile Goes a Mile; I will be hosting a series of raffles on my Facebook page. I hope that you will consider purchasing raffle tickets as all the money will be donated directly to Why Me. If you are not interested in purchasing raffle tickets, you can donate directly to Why Me’s website. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity.

 

Sincerely,

Ashlyn Mercier

Miss Gold Coast 2021

 

Consigli Builds Handicap Ramp for Why Me Family

Rihanna and family, 2015
Rihanna’s story

In September 2013, three-year-old Rihanna was diagnosed with leukemia.  Her parents did not know anything about the disease except that it was life threatening.  Just two months prior her mom had given birth to a baby boy, making Rihanna’s diagnosis even more stressful.  They had to make life altering medical decisions for Rihanna while also giving Roddiel the attention he needed.

Rihanna immediately started chemotherapy treatments and began receiving blood and platelet transfusions.  She was handling treatments well and maintained her same spunky personality.  After having chemotherapy injected directly into the cerebrospinal fluid via lower spine, Rihanna began to experience severe pain.  Then she began to have seizures and suffered a cerebral edema.  She was in coma and doctors told her parents that she would not survive.  After two months in a coma, with her eyes still closed, Rihanna began to move her fingers – it was a miracle.  It was confirmed that she had a stroke, thrombrosis, hydrocephalus and a cerebral edema.  Their once energetic daughter was now suffering from paralysis and her parents were told there was nothing more the doctors could do.

Her family immediately uprooted their lives and traveled from Puerto Rico to Boston, for treatment at the Dana Farber. They left everything behind for the chance to save Rihanna’s life. They arrived in Boston where a specialized treatment plan was made that would last for nearly two years. In 2014, they moved into Sherry’s House where they spent a few years managing Rihanna’s care and building a new life for themselves in Worcester. Rihanna’s father got a job at TJX Companies where he works hard to provide for his family.

Consigli steps up

This March, her family purchased a home in Spencer that was not wheelchair accessible. While her father has put in a lot of work to renovate the home, building a wheelchair ramp was too big of a job for him. Over the Summer, Why Me reached out to Consigli Construction for help.   They were happy to  jump in and help with getting materials donated through local vendors and putting a group together to build the family a wheelchair ramp.  Throughout the duration of this project, 35 Consigli volunteers assisted in completing the ramp, helping the family be more comfortable and have more freedom in their new home.

This project would not have been possible without the help from Consigli’s partners at Ashland Lumber, Colony Hardware, Dauphinais Concrete, & Karp Building Supply donating materials.  A big thank you to the following Consigli team members for donating their time and skills to help Rihanna’s family:

Dan Alden, Mike Boucher, Jon Burton, Peter Capone, Michael Caputo, Anthony Cheschi, Mike Collins, Lewis DeJesus, Ed Demars, Dan Donahue, David Estella, William Feraco, Mark Finnegan, Pat Flanigan, Jon Gagliardi, Steve Gentilucci, Adam Gordon & Sons: Jacob, Aidan & Colin, Matthew Guimond, Mike Hanlon, Dean Hanson, Mike Haseltine, David Kutz, John Laperle, Gabe Mater, Jack Moran, Janice Narowski, Duarte Pacheco, Cam Patch, Jon Potter, Kyle Raposa, Mark Sanchioni, & Jeffrey Scannell.

Consigli volunteers and Rihanna’s parents

Why Me Family Fall and Winter Update

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Why Me Families,

First and most importantly, I hope you and your family are healthy and safe.  I know that these are unprecedented times, and we are learning to cope with the changes to everyday life.  As a family that has dealt with childhood cancer, you are used to having to navigate the seemingly impossible and face uncertainly head on.  On top of that, I know many of you are being asked to juggle more than ever including stepping into unfamiliar roles.

This is also true for all of us at Why Me.  Since its inception in 1985, Why Me and Sherry’s House has existed to facilitate personal connections and in-person support for families with childhood cancer. We have had to find new ways to re-imagine these connections and assistance.  Over the last couple of months, we have had to alter how we provide our services:  maintaining relationships with our families through email and phone calls.  We have taken our support groups virtual-so that families can stay connected and we have continued to think outside the box for other ways to help make families smile and create a few fun memories along the way.

As we look to the future, we have had to make some difficult decisions regarding some of our events in the coming months.  While we remain committed to helping our families, it is in everyone’s best interest that we cancel all major events through the end of the year.  This includes our Spree Day, Halloween Party, and Annual Holiday Party.  We feel that it would be irresponsible and unsafe to host traditional gatherings for our families.  However, we already have some truly fun and creative ideas in the works so that we can still celebrate these special holidays in safe and unique ways.  We will be in touch in the coming months with details and specifics for each new and re-imagined celebration.  Our number one priority continues to be our dedication to our Why Me families and providing assistance during such a trying time in your life.  While the Covid-19 pandemic may last longer than we initially thought, we are not going anywhere either.  We remain committed to mission of providing love and support for families battling childhood cancer.  While things may look a bit different this year, we will still provide countless opportunities for our children and families to create everlasting memories!

One final note I want to include is another change in the coming months.  I am expecting baby #3 come early September and will be going on maternity leave at that time.  The remainder of the Why Me staff is set to step in and provide direct support to our families in my absence.  All virtual support groups and direct family assistance will continue as planned.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the office for any needs you might have or you can email Rebecca Kuczarski at rkuczarski@whyme.org  While I will periodically check email, I encourage to you to reach out Rebecca or the office staff.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me over the next few weeks if you have any questions or concerns as my number one concern is to make sure all of our families continue to feel supported.

Thank you!

Danielle Sikonski, Director of Family Services

 

From time to time we also utilize our Facebook page to keep up to date with families.  Please consider following along.