Stories of Hope and Healing
Each one of our patients, family members, and staff have stories to tell. Here are just a few of their stories from over the last 50 years.
Patients Family Members Caregivers
Each one of our patients, family members, and staff have stories to tell. Here are just a few of their stories from over the last 50 years.
Patients Family Members Caregivers
The Valerie Fund
2101 Millburn Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040
973-761-0422 :: Phone
973-761-6792 :: Fax
Patient Name: Christopher
Current Age: 14
Diagnosis: Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
When our 2.5-year-old son was diagnosed with Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, our world turned upside down. There was so much scary information coming at us, so fast. To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement. How did we end up here? That morning, he only had a fever. His pediatrician then sent us for lab work. Within a few hours, she called us, urging us to go to Newark Beth Israel Hospital as quickly as possible. That was November 27, 2013, the day before Thanksgiving. Getting that information in the ER sent our minds wandering to the worst.
Dr. Kam and The Valerie Fund Children’s Center staff took that very scary situation and continued working to keep our minds at ease. They took the time to truly educate me about ALL. They explained the various stages of treatment in ways I could understand. They gave me hope to look forward to what to expect when treatment was complete. They assured me that things would be OK. They listened as I cried over low ANC numbers. They connected me with various support organizations. They always had a smile to give and an ear to listen.
Everyone at The Children’s Center was always so welcoming and so happy. It amazed me that everyone there was so upbeat. They created an environment that helped Christopher feel less scared. Dr. Kam used to tell us that one day he would love to come to The Valerie Fund. While I listened to every word he ever told me, I didn’t quite believe him. After all, needle and port access were challenging for our young son. Visit after visit, things got a little less scary. Christopher started looking forward to treatment days. Whether it was doing crafts while waiting for his treatment or playing video games on the systems there. The social workers and child life specialists made sure we were fully supported as a family. They made his treatment days fun! They also helped his older brother Nicholas, 8 at the time, understand what was going on. They knew all the right words to explain how his brother was sick and what they were doing to help him. It made him less worried when I was away from home while Christopher was being treated as an inpatient.
While Christopher was so young when treatment began, he still has memories of his time at The Valerie Fund Children’s Center. Even though he remembers the not-so-nice things, he also remembers how great The Valerie Fund made him feel. When we talk about his treatment, he talks about being able to pick a special scent for his “mask” while being sedated. He remembers playing in the toy room while inpatient. His fondest memories are those spent at The Valerie Fund Children’s Center, spinning on the stools while waiting for the doctor. Sitting on the exam table and picking which finger would be “juicy” enough for his finger sticks. I would watch him run around the Center and think…wow, Dr. Kam (as always) was right.
Christopher is now 14 and a Freshman in High School. He is officially taller than me, confirmed at this year’s annual Children’s Center follow-up visit. He is in advanced classes and consistently makes the honor roll. He talks about his future, a future we weren’t even sure he would get to have. I don’t know how we would have gotten where we are today without The Valerie Fund.
Current Age - 36
Diagnosis - APML Leukemia
I was first diagnosed at 17 in 2007. I remember being so scared. My doctor at the time Dr. Bekele at Newark Beth he was the absolute best. He and his team did so amazing in making me feel better and well informed about my treatment. My child life specialist Shannon was the highlight of my month-long hospital stays. Being a teenager, surrounded by young kids, she did everything to keep my spirits high. Once I started my outpatient treatments at the center, Jill, another child life specialist was another life saver for me. In addition to my nurses, Shayna, Clarita, and Ava. During my initial diagnosis and relapse in 2010, they made my days better. I remember getting chemo treatments 5 days a week and my nurse Shayna bringing me a blanket from home, that she washed every weekend and would bring back because I was always so cold. I remember all the care I received from Dr. Kam and him telling me to stay in school and pushing me forward. Christina, the social worker, helped me with everything for high school and college. Every single staff at the Newark Beth Valerie Fund Center during 2007-2019 were instrumental in me being the person I am today. They are all like family to me and proved it when I had my daughter in 2015. The reason I would never regret having cancer was because of all the amazing people I met there.
Current Age - 48
Diagnosis - Embryonic Carcinoma Ovarian Cancer
I remember my favorite nurses on the 5th floor of Newark Beth Israel. They were Sharri, Karina, Anne & Sarita. The doctors I remember the most are Dr Kam and Dr Bekele as my main caregivers. I remember the little blue traveling VCR machine that went from room to room. I remember getting so excited when it was my turn and being able to watch videos that my parents brought from home. It made me feel like I was home and safe in a way. After I would take my rounds of chemo I remember not being able to look at any food commercials on TV or I would get sick. I also remember Dr Kim tirelessly trying to get me to eat something, anything lol I remember him saying he would get me something from any restaurant I wanted and somehow just nothing sounded good! These people were my family and always will be! They took me and my family in and made us their own. Even though this was one of the darkest times in my life they made every day brighter.
I recall Dr Kam giving us his home number and my family using it on more than a few occasions lol how sweet is that? I know we called him many times during his dinner and no matter where, what or how he would always speak to us. My life was in The Valerie Fund's hands & we trusted them as a family to help me. We wouldn't change a thing.
Current Age: 20
Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
My most memorable moment during my time at the Morristown Hospital had to of been when the nurses gave me empty syringes to spray my family with. As soon as someone entered my room, they got covered in water, and that made the not-so-great circumstances, better than I could’ve dreamed. I was so young that I couldn’t fully understand what was going on, but the nurses and doctors and caregivers gave me the opportunity to be the kid that I was.
Current Age: 19
Diagnosis: Leukemia
Beth Israel Hospital was very good with my son's treatment because there they helped him and cared for him with much love, and that made my son feel sure of his recovery.
God bless each of you who helped us in the treatment of my son God fills you with health and long life and keep helping many more children.
Current Age: 37
Diagnosis: ALL
Camp Happy Times was such a huge deal in making connections and not feeling alone at an integral time in my life. Having cancer as a teen and having somewhere to go where you are completely understood made all the difference. Dr. Travis and Joan have so much impact on the person I became.
The community and care we got at the clinic kept us whole. As a therapist I see how much my relationships from clinic and camp were such a protective factor in such a challenging time.
Current Age: 21
Diagnosis: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
I hold my memories with The Valerie Fund very dearly. Some of my best memories include having an absolute blast at Campy Happy Times, fishing, rock climbing, and eating what I thought must have been a record-breaking number of pizza slices. I also loved going to the Walk, particularly going up on stage to collect a trophy and being on TV. I will also never forget when the New York Jets cheerleaders came to visit the hospital.
Returning to visit several years into remission and seeing the likes of Maureen Baker and the others who treated me years ago was so special. I want to give a deep thanks to The Valerie Fund for all of your care for me and all the other children.
Thirty-one years ago, my 9-year-old daughter, Shifra, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We were sent to The Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Newark Beth Israel Hospital, where they immediately performed surgery. Once Shifra recovered from the surgery, she underwent rounds of chemotherapy. We were introduced to the loving care of Drs. Kam and Bekele. They were kind, empathic, and made us feel there was hope in a very scary, traumatic time for both Shifra and the rest of the family. Along with these amazing doctors, Social Worker Stacee Springer and nurses Betsy S. and Shari, along with the other nurses and staff, made our time at the hospital feel like a place of trust, hope, and love. They became our extended family. Years later, they attended Shifra's Bat Mitzvah and then her wedding.
I am happy to say, Shifra and her husband Aron are proud parents of 3 beautiful children. As a result of the amazing care she received, Shifra became a Child Life Specialist and works at a pediatric outpatient hematology/oncology hospital in New York City. Thank you, The Valerie Fund....you are forever in our hearts.
The Valerie Fund Children’s Center not only helps the patient, they also include the family. Stacee went to my community to help them learn how to approach and communicate with us in a time when cancer was a whispered word. She also visited Shifra's class to help the students understand what she was going through and that she was the same girl despite the changes they saw in her (loss of hair). The girls in the class started wearing hats to school in support of Shifra so she would not feel like she was standing out. To misquote from Charles Dickens....”it was the worst of times, it was the best of times.”
Our daughter Sarah was diagnosed at the age of 9. She was a semi-competitive gymnast, so when she started experiencing stomach pains, it was suspected to be from internalizing anxiety from competing. Over time, her symptoms worsened, and we took her to a pediatric gastroenterologist for further testing, including an endoscopic exam. Everything looked normal, so Sarah was placed on medication to reduce the amount of stomach acid she produced. Even with the medication, Sarah’s pain worsened, and we had to take her to the ER at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. It was there that they identified the source of her pain – an intestinal blockage.
Sarah was taken to surgery, where a lemon-sized tumor was found and, after a biopsy, was identified as Burkitt’s Lymphoma. The rug was pulled out from under our lives. Everything changed in that moment, not just for our immediate family, but for our extended family as well. Without the kindness and support of Dr. Kam, Dr. Bekele, Stacee, Shari, Annie, Michele, and the countless other staff members who work tirelessly behind the scenes, none of us would have survived. Every fear, every concern, every question was answered with kindness and compassion. Our hands and our hearts were held with the most loving hands that helped us as we navigated this frightening diagnosis and treatment.
We feel indebted to The Valerie Fund doctors, nurses, child life specialists, and the entire team who worked tirelessly for our family, all while they made it seem as if there was never a care or worry, nor did our questions ever seem like an imposition or problem. The Valerie Fund staff did not just treat and heal our daughter, Sarah, but they extended every resolution and helping hand to her sister, Amanda, her Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, friends, and neighbors. This was an entire community of healing. It takes a village, and we have found our village in The Valerie Fund.
Current Age: 32
Diagnosis: Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Stage 3
During my diagnosis and treatment at Newark Beth, I always felt comfortable and seen. From the doctors and nurses to the social worker, they made me feel like I mattered and included me. I am very grateful for the support and care I received
I am also blessed to be a part of Camp Happy Times, where I formed many friendships. Getting to know other cancer patients gave me a second family. From camper to LIT to counselor, CHT will always have a special place in my heart.
Current Age: 28
Diagnosis: AMPL Leukemia
Being diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia just days before my fifteenth birthday was undeniably life-altering. One moment, I was spending my summer as a teenager enjoying beach life at the Jersey Shore—soaking up sunshine and newfound independence. The next, I was told the random bruises on my body were caused by leukemia, and I became a cancer patient overnight, suddenly faced with blood and platelet transfusions, spinal taps, bone marrow biopsies, chemotherapy, and hair loss.
From those very first days and through the many years that followed, I always felt supported, seen, and understood by everyone at The Valerie Fund Center in Morristown. After an initial month-long hospital stay, I began outpatient chemotherapy five days a week, where I quickly bonded with the nursing staff. Their warmth, humor, and compassion brought lightness to long, often difficult treatment days. It meant so much to be treated not just as a patient but as a normal teenager. They joked with me, encouraged me, and truly cared about me and my entire family. Even on the hardest days for me and other patients, the clinic felt alive with joy, connection, and hope.
I completed treatment on January 29, 2014, after three challenging years of chemo, arsenic trioxide, countless pills, and regular bone marrow biopsies. I remained in long-term follow-up care for a decade, always looking forward to my check-ins and catching up with my care team. Last summer, I officially “graduated” from these visits. There are simply too many survivors to continue long-term follow-ups after ten years—which feels like the best kind of “problem” to have.
Though my time as a patient has ended, my relationship with The Valerie Fund family is lifelong. When I published my book, Courageous Well-Being for Nurses, in 2023, several Valerie Fund staff members—including Maureen Baker ANP, Shannon Holland APN, Tricia Patterson RN, Gina Fleming RN, and Cathy Cerruti LCSW—joined me to celebrate at a book launch event. It was a full-circle moment and a chance to honor the nurses who helped me heal by offering something back to their profession.
I truly credit my survival to an incredible team of caregivers: Dr. Neier, Dr. Halpern, Dr. Fritz, and Dr. Gregory, along with Maureen Baker ANP, Shannon Holland APN, Anne Marie O’Keefe APN, Tricia Patterson RN, Gina Fleming RN, Cathy Cerruti LCSW, and the many other nurses, child life specialists, and support staff who walked beside me through it all.
As The Valerie Fund celebrates 50 years of providing compassionate, comprehensive care, I feel immense gratitude for the role they’ve played in my life and the lives of so many others. Their work is nothing short of life-changing.
Current Age: 39
Diagnosis: Wilm’s Tumor at 18 months
There are times when I see family photos from that period and the severity of the situation really hits me. My parents look ghostly in those photographs. The emotional and physical drain is beyond what I can comprehend, even to this day. Becoming a father only intensified these feelings, as it is impossible to understand what it is like caring for your sick child. I am forever grateful to my parents, the doctors and nurses, and The Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders for everything they did for me and so many others.
I am now 37 years removed from treatment and am an entirely different person from the toddler who had to sit very still, holding his clown while his father spoke to him through a window during long sessions of radiation. And yet typing these words still brings tears to my eyes. I was too young to understand what was happening; that was a burden everyone else had to bear. Their efforts are the reason I am here today.
Now I have my own family with my beautiful wife and three young boys. This brings a whole new perspective to The Valerie Fund and only strengthens my gratitude for everything they do. I am intimately aware of the true impact of The Valerie Fund. It helps families through the toughest times people can imagine. And it gives people like myself the opportunity to experience all that life has to offer. To me, The Valerie Fund is the greatest organization in the world. They created a lifelong bond in which my entire family still remains involved.
Current age: 28
Diagnosis - Medulloblastoma
The wonderful memories I carry from my time at The Valerie Fund Children’s Center at St. Barnabas focus on the magnificent staff. From the nurses to the doctors, the child life specialists, my social worker, the clowns, and even the security team, they made my time at the center a blast. I always looked forward to every visit, even when I knew I had to get blood drawn. I remember the craft box they had, the toy basket, and all the fun videos and games you could play. It was like a child wonderland. I never felt sad when I had to visit because I knew something exciting would always happen.
Current age: 53
Diagnosis: Osteogenic sarcoma
Age diagnosed: 16
Having been diagnosed at age 16 with osteogenic sarcoma in my left leg, The Valerie Fund Children’s Center became a place not only for treatment, but also for healing and support. Even afterwards, when the treatment regimen was completed, the staff at The Valerie Fund Center continued to be a source of care and encouragement. The Valerie Fund will always be family to me.
To address the osteogenic sarcoma in my bone, major surgery was done above the knee, where part of my femur was replaced with a donor bone. I then had a year and a half of chemotherapy treatment, followed by ligament surgery on my leg. I then required an additional year of chemotherapy treatment, due to having a relapse of the cancer in my lung. Although the surgeries and treatment were physically and emotionally depleting, I remained very motivated to get back to a normal life. I was committed to attending high school and keeping up with my work. In many ways, my life had become more enriched because of what I learned from that experience. I am incredibly grateful for my life and my survival.
Surviving osteogenic sarcoma inspired a desire in me to live life to the fullest. It brought my family closer together and gave me the strength to deal with other challenges, a deep appreciation for my life, and the gift of my Camp Happy Times family. The friendships I’ve made at CHT, beginning as a junior counselor when I was 20, have endured for more than half of my life. Those friends are my family, too. After finishing college, I decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work and was inspired to work with children. I learned many things from my experiences at The Valerie Fund, but one of the greatest lessons was to enjoy my life and appreciate all of my blessings.
Current age: 37
Diagnosis: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Age diagnosed: 3 years, 11 months
I was almost four years old when diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I remember going to The Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders for spinal taps, blood tests, and check-ups. Some memories I have from my time at the hospital include watching some of the older Valerie Fund Center children racing on their wheelchairs and IV poles, and joking around with the doctors and nurses.
The Valerie Fund Center and their terrific doctors and nurses supported me and my family, as a a young child and during my teenage years, with the after effects of my treatment. My parents, my brother, and I had a loving relationship with each other during my treatment. This special bond has continued into my adult years as a cancer survivor. Memories of my hospital stays come up sometimes, when looking at old family photos and visiting with relatives. I revisit these memories when I see friends, other TVF survivors, former counselors from Camp Happy Times, and former nurses at events that support TVF.
I attended Camp Happy Times between the ages of 5 and 20. While I was there, I made many friends who had the same experiences that I had. For the past 3 years, I have been able to go back to Camp Happy Times and volunteer as a counselor. I have now been able to share my memories and hear about my campers’ experiences while being treated at a Valerie Fund center.
With help from The Valerie Fund’s scholarship program, I was able to complete my college education and become a certified Early Childhood Education teacher. I also went on to graduate school and have a M.A. in Special Education. Within the past 5 years I have worked as a Special Education Teacher. Currently, I work in Early Intervention as a Special Educator/Developmental Interventionist (DI), with families and their children from birth-age 3, who have developmental delays in: speech and communication, learning, adaptation, and/or physical and fine motor skills.
