As Cindy Kerr was losing her son, Ryan, to bone cancer, she started Ryan’s Case for Smiles, an important non-profit that’s now one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Care Partners.
The foundation makes pillowcases and assembles coping bags for children affected by cancer. In fact, since its inception, almost 2 million beautiful pillowcases have been given to children in 363 hospitals nationwide.
Currently battling cancer herself, the Eagles decided to surprise Kerr with Super Bowl tickets in December, obviously long before they knew they were going to the big game, as a way to say thank you for her commitment to the community.
The team called Kerr in for a meeting two weeks after she had surgery, where Eagles head coach Doug Pederson presented her with the tickets.
“Obviously, it’s very exciting because who doesn’t want to go to the Super Bowl?” she told Daily Local News. “It was hard for me to accept them because I’d rather be giving and doing stuff for other people. That’s what our organization has been about for the last 10 years but I will carry all the patients with me in my heart.”
The seed for the pillowcases started when Kerr made Ryan a special soccer pillowcase that he could bring with him to the hospital during treatment. That act grew to making pillowcases for all of the children at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Then, a boost from the Martha Stewart Show enabled them to grew into a national organization. In 2017, Ryan’s Case for Smiles expanded to provide coping boxes in order to help siblings handle the very difficult times that a cancer diagnosis can bring. The boxes are filled with items such as coloring books, Silly Putty and bubbles.
“Our family, I have two daughters, with Ryan being in treatment for so many years and passing away, we all suffered from posttraumatic stress (PTSD),” Kerr said. “Waiting for that next shoe to drop … We thought what else can we do for these families?”
Now, the Philadelphia community, including the Eagles, has rallied around Ryan’s Case for Smiles. They volunteer, donate and share the love on social media in order to improve the quality of life for children and their families as they undergo treatment for cancer.
As for Kerr’s trip to Minneapolis, which the Eagles are paying for in full, she’s bringing her husband, Gavin, and cheering louder than she ever has before. Then afterward, no matter the outcome, it’s back to making kids smile.
