‘Our work has come full circle’: Chiera Foundation raises over $275K for children with cancer
Reflecting on the past 30 years, Lou Chiera said he is humbled by the over $4.8 million raised to help children battling cancer.
Recently, the Chiera Family Foundation hosted its 30th Anniversary Gala fundraiser and Golf Classic at the Polo Club of Boca Raton. The two-day event raised over $275,000 with over 350 supporters in attendance. It also marked the first in-person event since before COVID-19.
“It’s fantastic seeing the kids out and having fun again,” said Chiera, who noted that 100% of all money raised will go to help children fighting cancer attend summer camp and college. To date, thousands of children have attended camp and over 45 have received scholarships.
“It was difficult trying to raise money during COVID as kids could not attend camp or the golf and skating sessions,” Chiera said. We were able to continue with some scholarships and fund a Zoom stay-at-home camp experience.”
The gala featured an anniversary theme with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and dancing, along with live and silent auctions. The Coconut Creek-based foundation also had its signature Golf Classic tournament at Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club with 110 golfers. They are currently trying to book Broken Sound Club for dinner and Old Course for golf on April 28-29, 2024.
“What is truly amazing is to see the children we first sent to camp, then to college and medical school coming out as successful social workers and oncologists helping kids with the same cancer they once had,” Chiera said. “Our work has come full circle.”
Ron Assaf, former CEO of Sensormatic Electronics Corporation, was an honored guest. Assaf helped the Chiera Family Foundation get started and was the original presenting sponsor for its fundraising events. Gold medalist and Olympic record holder Bob Beamon was also in attendance.
Megan Casabe, 33, a former camper, counselor and college scholarship recipient kicked off the evening by recapping her experience with Chiera Family Foundation. She said the foundation has been an extension of her own family.
“They’ve celebrated every milestone in my life from going into remission to graduating college and getting married,” Casabe said. “They sent me to Camp Boggy Creek, and they funded a scholarship for me to complete my master’s degree in social work.”
Casabe was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 5 and went into remission at age 10. She said the cancer experience and people she met helped shape her into the person she is today.
“I am a therapist and I help people with medical trauma, chronic illness and grief,” said Casabe, of Boynton Beach, who is now a licensed social worker that helps families and children who have the same type of cancer that she had. “I also work in a hospital.
“At the beginning of my career,” she said, “I worked directly with kids with cancer and their families. It was so rewarding to be able to walk their journey and support them as someone who was supported by the generosity of people like the Chiera Family. I was able to choose a career based on the compassion that I have because of what I went through.”
Proceeds from the gala helped the Chiera Family Foundation send 150 children fighting cancer to summer camp at Camp Boggy Creek in Lake City last month, and fund three more N.I.C.K.’s (Nothing is Impossible for Cancer Kids) college scholarships for young adults to attend the college of their choice.
“Some of our sponsors and board members have been with us from day one,” Chiera said. “I think when you meet the children and their families as well as visit the camp it is a life-changing experience.”
Chiera said all programs are named N.I.C.K. and stand for Nothing is Impossible for Cancer Kids. Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis was founded in 1996 by actor Paul Newman and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf to give children with serious illnesses an opportunity to experience a summer camp environment.
The foundation has been active this year, completing two N.I.C.K.’s golf sessions through the First Tee of Broward for kids undergoing chemotherapy. Two N.I.C.K.’s Ice Skating programs took place in June through a grant from the Florida Panthers hockey team.
“One-hundred percent of what we raise goes directly to sending kids to camp and college,” he said. “We also run two other programs N.I.C.K.’s Golf and N.I.C.K.’s Ice Skating, which gives kids a break from their treatments and teaches them and their friends and siblings how to golf and ice skate.”
The Chiera Family Foundation began as a tribute to the family’s patriarch Nick Chiera who died from cancer.
“What started as a tribute to our dad who passed away from cancer has now turned into one of the largest fundraisers helping kids and young adults who are battling cancer,” Chiera said.
Boca Raton’s Isabella Posada-Alvarez, 11, was also on hand to discuss her experience with the Chiera Foundation. She was diagnosed with a Wilms tumor (kidney cancer) in 2017 and had one of her kidneys removed and later underwent chemotherapy and radiation.
“The Chiera Family Foundation has been there for us since our daughter Isabella was under cancer treatment at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital more than five years ago,” said Catalina Posada. “They offered her sports activities like golf and ice skating with other kids from the hospital. Also, through Chiera Foundation, Isabella along with other kids have the opportunity to attend an amazing week during summer at Camp Boggy Creek.
“We love the Chiera Family Foundation and really appreciate all that they have done for our daughter and other kids with cancer,” she said. “They make them forget about hospital and cancer treatments and bring joy to them and our families during difficult times.”
Visit chierafamilyfoundation.org.