Nearly 100 guests, including patients, survivors, family members, hospital staff and supporters gathered at Tino’s Italian Bistro in Columbia, MD on Saturday, December 13th to enjoy an afternoon of friendship, survivorship and activities.
For the last 24 years, CCF has been proud to host this event, which provides a much-needed break for young patients undergoing treatment or recently discharged from the hospital. Guests and their siblings, parents and extended family members, enjoyed lunch, crafts, games, a visit from the Howard County Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department and gifts donated by our generous community. CCF also thanks Santa, who continues to bring joy to the children at our event year after year!
This annual event reminds CCF staff and supporters how resilient and brave these young fighters are and how important it is for these kids to “just be kids” for an afternoon. We witnessed reunions between hospital care team members and former patients, as well as reunions between patients who spent time together during their hospital stays or treatments. Additionally, the event offered an opportunity for families to enjoy each other in a festive environment, and to build camaraderie between families.
This special afternoon is only possible due to the generosity of so many, including:
- CCF Board member Charmel McMillan generously provided Target gift cards for each child as well as five cash door prizes for families
- CCF Board member Elda Devarie generously provided LEGO sets for every child
- CCF Board member Steve Coomes and his wife, Carolyn Coomes, volunteered with check-in and the ever-popular Make-your-own-pizza Station.
- Alisha and Olivia Bartels for volunteering and for coordinating a toy drive to provide many of the gifts.
- Giant Food kindly donated a festive cake and balloons.
- CCF extends its appreciation to the University of Maryland’s Executive Administrative Asst. Vernell Sobers for coordinating the participation of many families, and for all she does for the local pediatric cancer community.
- CCF extends our gratitude to Lance Cook and the attentive staff of Tino’s Italian Bistro.
- We extend our profound appreciation to Wegmans for funding this much-deserved afternoon.
