Photographs by William Taufic.
Fourteen years ago, Dawn Ladenheim’s ten-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Not long after that, Liz Salguero received the same devastating news about her toddler. The two Wilton moms met at a support group in 2002, where they listened to others caught in the turmoil of pediatric cancer. “Often it was frustrating,” says Liz. “We were sharing info that we wished we had known six months before.” The pair came up with a plan to form a parent network, and in 2003 they launched Circle of Care.
“Initially our goal was to make information accessible to all parents,” explains Liz. They reached out to families at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford (the only two hospitals in Connecticut that treat pediatric cancer) by creating a diagnosis care package, or “Bag of Love,” containing items like “food and parking vouchers, a flashlight, a toy, a pillow, a DVD—things that make a hospital room feel cozier—and a letter from us saying, ‘We’ve been there too. Please reach out to us.’”
Dawn and Liz then decided to donate computers and created their Connexions program. “These kids are in the doctor’s office all day sometimes,” says Dawn. “They are desperate to feel normal, to be able to just get their homework done.”
Next came the Lifeline Emergency Fund, which has supplied $300,000 to families in need. “Seventy-five percent of families going through this experience financial difficulties,” says Dawn. Liz adds, “Children are usually in treatment two to three years. It’s a long time. It takes a toll on the family.” To combat a sense of isolation, they initiated a volunteer program at Yale. “It’s nice to have a third party to talk to who is not a doctor or friend,” comments Dawn, “or someone to play with siblings.” The Lifeline Mentoring Program connects parents with someone whose child was diagnosed at a similar age. The Art from the Heart bedroom makeover program brightens the lives of kids who are home but still recovering.
Liz and Dawn estimate that Circle of Care helps 500 families per year. Board member Maria DiPierro says, “I am in awe of all that Dawn and Liz have done to make Circle of Care a vital partner and resource for families battling pediatric cancer.”
“I always say the cancer diagnosis was the worst thing that ever happened to us but also the best. It has been a tremendous gift to give back this way,” says Liz. Her son and Dawn’s are both cancer-free and thriving.