Wellington Moms On A Mission For Families With Chronically Ill Children
When Jen Sherry and Kristina Bostwick met 11 years ago through the Mom’s Club of Wellington, they realized immediately that they were destined to become friends.
Both came to Wellington from big cities — Sherry from Baltimore and Bostwick from Chicago. They each have four children of similar ages, and both know what it’s like to be the mother of a child with serious medical needs.
Their bond deepened through their children’s illnesses, comparing notes on doctors and treatments and being each other’s source of strength. Sherry’s daughter has epilepsy, which is under control thanks to her current medications, and Bostwick’s son is a healthy high school senior after having open heart surgery as a young child.
Their shared experiences made them realize how important it is to have a network of other parents who can relate to having critically ill children.
“That’s what gets you through — other families to talk to who are dealing with the same challenges,” Sherry said.
Their desire to help others made them the perfect volunteers to help launch the Casey Cares Foundation in South Florida and serve as Champion of Children honorees for its inaugural “An Evening with Casey Cares” event on Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Breakers West Country Club.
The Casey Cares Foundation was founded in Baltimore by Casey Baynes, who was inspired by working at children’s charities to create her own nonprofit focused on providing special experiences for families with a child who is fighting a life-threatening disease that requires frequent hospitalizations.
For some, the family events may be the only reprieve from hospital stays and doctors’ visits. For others, they may be one of the last events they will attend with all family members present.
When Baynes looked to Florida to expand, she called the one friend she knew would make it happen — Sherry. And she called the one friend she knew would be right there at her side — Bostwick.
“When Casey asked if I could help, my first though was ‘Yes!’ My second thought was Kristina would be a perfect partner,” Sherry said.
It was not only Bostwick’s experience as a mother, it was also her background as a neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric nurse and the can-do attitude she had as PTA president at Panther Run Elementary School. Sherry knew that her friend would understand how meaningful Casey Cares would be to Wellington and the entire South Florida community.
“It was very special that Casey recognized the most important thing is the family unit,” Bostwick said. “If you can provide a little stress relief and respite, it is a boost to the entire family’s mental health.”
While it has been only been a few months since Casey Cares launched in South Florida, Sherry and Bostwick have already rallied sponsors, donors and sports teams to contribute to the special programming that is designed to keep families’ spirits high and create lasting memories.
Their first big outing brought together two boys who have been diagnosed with cancer and their families to attend a Miami Dolphins game. While the boys didn’t know each other — one is from West Palm Beach and the other is from Miami — having their families share the experience is part of the magic of Casey Cares. “We’re making connections for families to share a special moment and create a lasting bond,” Sherry said.
Other outings in the works are an afternoon at the zoo, pizza and movie nights, and a spa day just for moms who need self-care.
For children who are hospital-bound, Casey Cares found a special way to bring joy — brand new pajamas. The program is called “Kami’s Jammies” in memory of a young Casey Cares patient who loved to receive new pajamas when she was in the hospital.
Sherry and Bostwick have created partnerships with a number of organizations to hold pajama drives, including Chick-fil-A and the South Florida Science Center & Aquarium, which made Casey Cares a beneficiary of its “Noon Year’s Eve” celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 31, asking families to bring a donation of new pajamas. The Children’s Hospital at Palms West is one of the designated hospitals that will receive the pajamas to share with patients.
An Evening with Casey Cares will be the group’s biggest Florida event yet. As the evening’s honorees, Sherry and Bostwick are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of supporters who will enjoy a seated dinner, an open bar, live music from the Bay Kings Band, a silent auction filled with unique items and more.
“One of the things Jen and I love about Wellington is how charitable our community is,” Bostwick said. “I’m happy to see my kids grow up here and be surrounded by others who give back. We’re hoping to have that same spirit at the event where people can see a kid with a big, happy smile and know that it was because of their generosity.”
An Evening with Casey Cares will take place Saturday, Feb. 29 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Breakers West Country Club. Tickets are $150 per person, and tables of 10 are available.
For more information about the Casey Cares Foundation, e-mail Jennifer McCorvey, southern region development director, at jennifer@caseycaresfoundation.org, or visit www.caseycares.org.
