Community Rallies Around Teenager Battling Rare Bone Cancer

Strategic Insights -

As soon as Caroline Ray was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, her friend and teammate Abby Makela knew she had to do something to help. The Crofton girls' soccer team rallied around Ray, holding multiple fundraising events and raising over $7,000 through their "Coins for Caroline" initiative. The team's efforts not only helped alleviate some of the financial burden on Ray's family but also provided a much-needed sense of community and support during a difficult time.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Crofton girls' soccer team raised over $7,000 through their "Coins for Caroline" initiative, which included selling shirts and bracelets, generating a QR code for donations, and collecting change at concession stands.
  • Teammates, including Makela, worked together to brainstorm and implement fundraising ideas, with Makela leading the effort to support Ray.
  • The support for Ray extended beyond the soccer team, with other teams and schools in the area holding yellow-out games and collecting money for her family.
  • Makela went above and beyond to support Ray, visiting her in the hospital and pushing her wheelchair during the team's homecoming parade.
  • The cost of cancer treatments, including parking, gas, food, co-pays, and more, can add up quickly, and Ray's family was grateful for the community's support in helping to alleviate some of this financial burden.

Statistics:

  • Approximately 800 cases of osteosarcoma are reported each year in the United States, with about half occurring in children and teens.
  • Ray underwent 19-hour surgery in August to remove the osteosarcoma from her left femur.
  • Ray received chemotherapy in cycles of five weeks, with her treatment scheduled to end in January.
  • The Crofton girls' soccer team held multiple yellow-out games to support Ray, including a home opener on September 13 with a crowd of fans wearing yellow.

Sources:

  • Johns Hopkins (no date provided)
  • "Crofton Soccer Team Rallies Around Teenager Battling Cancer" (no publication date provided)
  • Interview with Kristina Ray, Caroline's mother, as reported in the article