Hundreds Reach Out to Help Friends of Karen's Children Diagnosed with Life-threatening Illnesses

John Mitty Tuesday, April 9, 2013

East Meadow, NY – An 11-year-old leukemia survivor, families with critically-ill children, athletes with special challenges, corporate employees and community members plan to converge as participants in the Walk-Run for Friends of Karen at the Long Island Marathon in East Meadow on May 4 and May 5. 

This 7^th annual event was started in 2007 with 25 participants and spearheaded by Evelyn Anderson, a Friends of Karen parent who wanted to run a half marathon to honor her son, Luke,  diagnosed with leukemia as a toddler and now enjoying growing up with his loving family. Luke  - the inspiration for the walk-run – plans to run with the team at the Saturday 5K along with his mom, dad and older brother Patrick.

“Friends of Karen was our lifeline when Luke was ill,” said Evelyn. “There were so many things that were frightening and unknown, but there was one thing that we knew for sure: Friends of Karen was always there for us and would help get us through it all.”  

Friends of Karen provides emotional, financial and advocacy support for children with life threatening illnesses and their families in order to keep them stable, functioning and able to cope.  The organization has helped more than 12,400 children in the New York tri-state region. Since 1978, Friends of Karen has been providing emotional, financial and advocacy support for children with a life-threatening illness and their families in order to keep them stable, functioning and able to cope. Driven by compassion for families facing the most difficult experience imaginable, Friends of Karen’s expert social workers, committed staff and dedicated volunteers have to date provided broad, ongoing services and programs to more than 12,400 children. 

“This outpouring of support for the work we do is heartwarming,” said Nancy Mariano, Regional Director of Friends of Karen. “We encourage others to join our team and share in the joy when we all cross that finish line together – for Luke and the hundreds of other Friends of Karen children and their families we help every day.”

For more information, please contact patriciaconway@friendsofkaren.org or at 631.473.1768, ext. 303.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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