CALIFORNIA, Md. – This Saturday, June 1st, Bryanna’s Love is hosting a special fundraising event that promises an evening of magic and laughter, all for a heartfelt cause. The “ADULT DAYCARE: Comedy and Magic Show,” geared towards adults, featuring Reggie Rice, local celebrity and comedic illusionist, and special guest David Beckman will take place at Taphouse 1637, located at 23418 Three Notch Road in California, Maryland. The show starts at 8 PM and is set to be an unforgettable night filled with entertainment and purpose.
Bryanna’s Love was founded in memory of Bryanna Kitchen, a vivacious and spirited nine-year-old girl whose battle with Early T-cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ETP-ALL) inspired a mission of love and support for children and families affected by childhood cancer. Diagnosed just three weeks after her ninth birthday, Bryanna’s journey was tragically brief. She passed away on October 24th, 2016, but her legacy lives on through the foundation that bears her name.
During her treatment, Bryanna found immense comfort in the simple gifts of stuffed animals and blankets. These items provided her with moments of reprieve and happiness amidst the grueling battle against her illness.
Kristina Kitchen, Bryanna’s mother and founder of Bryanna’s Love, recalls, “She loved everything, just absolutely everything, people, animals, nature, stuffed animals, so when she was in the hospital, she would get these stuffed animals that people would bring in, and her first question was always, ‘Do I get to keep it?’”
Kitchen’s dedication to carrying forward her daughter’s legacy is nothing short of incredible and selfless. Her tireless efforts ensure that Bryanna’s Love reaches as many children and families as possible, providing them with the comfort and support they need during such difficult times.
“I just really felt like I needed to keep things going, and so I did a donation of about 300 stuffed animals that we got from our community,” says Kristina. “What we do is we help families battling childhood cancer, much like ours did. We have three main programs, and this one program is called ‘Give Kids a Snuggle.'”
Bryanna’s Love aims to extend this same comfort to other children battling cancer through its various programs: Give Kids a Snuggle, Sibling Love, and Home to Care. To date, the organization has provided over 1,500 stuffed animals and blankets to more than 1,400 children and has helped over 5,000 families, offering them solace during their treatment.
The Sibling Love program ensures that siblings of these children also feel celebrated and valued, while the Home to Care initiative, in partnership with Pediatric Advanced Life Support, or PALS, helps families with the logistics and costs of transportation and lodging for specialized treatment far from home, which can be daunting without help or guidance.
The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for Bryanna’s Love, particularly in terms of fundraising and program delivery. Kitchen explains COVID has limited the ability to deliver stuffed animals and blankets to kids in hospitals due to safety protocols.
Despite these challenges, the mission of Bryanna’s Love remains unwavering. Kitchen speaks passionately about the foundation’s impact: “I really want people to understand that the more that they get the word out there, the more people that come, the more families that we’re able to help.”
The upcoming Comedy Magic Show is a pivotal fundraising event for Bryanna’s Love, with all proceeds going directly to support these vital programs. The event not only aims to raise funds but also to bring the community together in a shared mission of love and support.
The show promises to be a delightful blend of comedy and magic, with special guest David Beckman and headliner Reggie Rice, a comedic illusionist, returning for one night only. The atmosphere will be filled with laughter and joy, echoing Bryanna’s own love for dancing, singing, and all things magical.
If you cannot attend the event this weekend or want to continue showing your support, mark your calendar for The Kids Crushing Cancer Gala held at the Renaissance Suite at The Villa on September 15, 2024! The Kids Crushing Cancer Gala is a significant event where children’s artwork representing strength, love, bravery, and hope, from all over the nation, is auctioned to raise funds.
Let us unite in Bryanna’s legacy, spreading warmth, laughter, and love to illuminate the path ahead for all those touched by childhood cancer.
Tickets for the event can be purchased here: https://themagicoflaughterllc.ticketspice.com/bryanna-love-fundraiser
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