SUPER BOWL TRIP
Mom who founded charity after losing son to cancer gets tickets from Eagles
After her son, Ryan, lost his battle with bone cancer, Cindy Kerr decided she wanted to help other gravely ill children and their families. Her charity, Ryan’s Case for Smiles, has delivered more than 1.7 million colorful pillowcases to children in 363 hospitals.
Now stricken with cancer herself, Kerr got a phone call from the Philadelphia Eagles in December, asking for a meeting two weeks after surgery. Her charity is one of three Eagles Care Partners so she wasn’t surprised but she thought it was “just a T-shirt or something.” But Coach Doug Pederson surprised her with two tickets to the Super Bowl.
“They gave me tickets to the Super Bowl. This was before they knew they were going to the Super Bowl,” she said.
“I wasn’t allowed to give the tickets away,
because I tend to do that,” she said. “I was going to go to the Super Bowl no matter what, but clearly it’s much more exciting when your team is there.”
In addition to the tickets, the Eagles are picking up the tab for Kerr and her husband, Gavin, to fly to Minneapolis and for their hotel room.
“Obviously, it’s very exciting because who doesn’t want to go to the Super Bowl?” she
said. “It was hard for me to accept them because I’d rather be giving and doing stuff for other people. That’s what our organization has been about for the last 10 years but I will carry all the patients with me in my heart.”
When Ryan was 12, he was diagnosed with bone cancer and she made him a special pillowcase to take to the hospital each time he went for treatment.
“He was a soccer player so one time it was soccer (printed material),” she said. “And one time it was hamburgers. Something fun.”
“And he had a relapse after 2½ years and I made pillowcases for the rest of the kids at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia),” she said.
It grew from there with friends helping her. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children contacted her and she started bringing the pillowcases there, as well, she said.
Then Ryan “had another relapse,” she said. “He fought for almost five years.”
“We had had just come home from the doctor’s and got a phone call (saying) the Martha Stewart Show wanted to feature us. Conestoga High School was very involved,” Kerr said.
The charity at that time was called ConKerr Cancer. “And that launched us into a nationwide organization.” They have 120 chapters around the country, she said.
She realized that kids would enjoy making their own pillowcases so they bring sewing machines and material for kids who are able to make their own pillowcases.
“It’s amazing how their faces light up,” Kerr said. “It’s something they’re so proud of.”
But Kerr wanted to more for the families of the young patients, who are also undergoing tremendous stress. So last year, they came up with the idea of coping boxes, filled with items to help with siblings. The boxes have items like markers and coloring books, Silly Putty and bubbles to blow.
The idea stemmed from her own family’s experience.
“Our family, I have two daughters, with Ryan being in treatment for so many years and passing away, we all suffered from posttraumatic stress (PTSD),” Kerr said. “Waiting for that next shoe to drop … We thought what else can we do for these families?”
They partnered with psychologists from CHOP and Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children to come up with the idea of coping boxes and on the website there are resources for parents and caregivers of children with serious illness or injuries.
They have questions like, “How do I help my child cope with it? How do I help my other children and how do I help myself?” she said. “One of our really strong focuses is on siblings.”
The boxes contain “fun things for kids. Each item has a tip on how to cope.”
For example, you’re always told to breathe to help with stress but how does a 5-year-old understand that?” she asked. Blowing bubbles will help them breathe and smashing Play-Doh will help them with their anger.
“It’s basically a way to help them cope with this and not be the forgotten one,” Kerr said. “It’s grown from the pillowcases to helping the entire family cope with this experience. The cool thing it started right here.”
The Kerrs have two daughters, Ashley, 33, who lives in Idaho, and Katie, 30, who lives in Paoli. They are the grandparents of 2½-year-old Emily.
Students at Devon Elementary School recently had a pajama day to raise money for the pillowcases, she said.
“This community has rallied around us. They’ve been amazing. I don’t think we would have gotten through Ryan’s illness and now mine without this incredible community,” said Kerr. “You really realized when something like this happens how important it is to be surrounded by your friends.”
Students at Devon Elementary School recently had a pajama day to raise money for Case for Smiles, she said.
“It’s the volunteers,” said Kerr. “It’s the donors. It’s individuals who have truly made a difference.”
“It’s incredible to be partners with the Eagles,” said Kerr. “I’ve gotten to know them some of the players and also staff. The Eagles deserve to win. I don’t think any NFL team has done as much community service as the Eagles. They just really care. They lead with integrity.”
Kerr’s own cancer started in her appendix and spread to her colon, she said. She has three to seven more chemotherapy treatments to go but her prognosis is good.
“Since she’s been ill herself, Kerr has not been able to visit children in the hospitals and she misses it.
“My favorite thing is being with the kids,” she said. “They have such strength. They give me strength. Ryan taught me a lot, how to live through cancer. I’m not going to sit and complain about it.”
“We’re going through a lot but life is good,” Kerr said.
For more information go to: www.caseforsmiles.org or www.copingspace.org