Nearly 50 Casey Cares children, their siblings, parents and caregivers got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour, courtesy of our friends at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. 

The tour featured talks with zoo staff members and volunteers about a variety of animals in the zoo. Our kids got to hang out with penguins, turtles and even lizards! The highlight, however, was getting to feed the elephants! The children who visited the zoo are battling a wide range of illnessness. One has cerebral palsy, some have leukemia and others have sickle cell anemia. None of them thought about their latest chemo treatment or their next doctor's appointment. All we saw were smiles and their faces lighting up, especially when the elephants munched on their treats. 

"One of the things that we love is just seeing the faces and smiles of kids having a great time," Jane Ballentine, director of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore's public relations, told WBAL's Kate Amara. "Working with Casey Cares and being able to bring in these kids and their families who might not have the opportunity to come in and give them a special day ... It's so important to us and we just love it. The families say it's a chance to focus together on life beyond treatment."

This is the third consecutive year that Casey Cares has partnered with the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore as part of our Caring Connections Program, which provides fun activities for families who are facing similar challenges. Instead of meeting in a doctor's office or at a hospital, families get together for an uplifting outing, connecting in a great environment which will provide lasting memories. 

For information on how to sponsor one of our Caring Connections Program events, please contact erin@caseycaresfoundation.org.