Posted By: Rachel Higgins

January 2 would have been Carson’s 18th birthday. Over his 12 short years of life, Carson brought many smiles to so many with his sense of humor and his pay-it-forward attitude that inspired the founding of the CCarsonStrong Foundation. To honor Carson’s 18th birthday, we’re asking you to join us in supporting causes he loved. 

We’ve put together two ways to celebrate Carson: a book drive and a fund drive to support kids with pediatric cancer and other potentially devastating challenges. 

Book Drive

As many of  you know, Carson loved to read. He could read five books in one week! Reading was entertaining, informative, and therapeutic for Carson. Many of the photos that were taken during Carson’s treatments show him with a book in hand. Today, we’re asking that our friends and supporters donate a book to Stewart’s Caring Place reading room or the Revere Free Library, both of which were set up in memory of Carson. At Stewart’s Caring Place, cancer patients and their families find solace in supportive programs and services, and respite in the “Carson’s Corner” reading room where they can learn more about their illness or pick up a book that helps them escape to another world. The Free Libraries at Revere Local Schools was created this past summer, so kids can easily share and have access to books. 

Donating a book is easy. 

• Just visit our Wish List on Amazon – be sure to log into AmazonSmile first and select CarsonStrong Foundation as your charity of choice and a portion of your purchase will also be directed back to the Foundation – and select the book you would like to purchase.  
• On the checkout page, please select the “Add Gift Options” button next to your item and fill out your name and street address (with city, state, and zip) so we can properly acknowledge your donation. Once you’ve entered your address information, you may also select “Email a copy of your gift receipt to” and enter events@carsonstrong.org to have an email copy of the gift receipt with your contact information sent to our foundation.
• Your books will automatically be sent to the CarsonStrong Foundation, where we will sort and deliver all books to Stewart’s Caring Place or the Revere Free Libraries, and share photos of the donation with you in an upcoming newsletter. 

$18 for 18

The second way you can help us celebrate Carson on his 18th birthday is with a recurring donation of $18 each month. Your generosity will be maximized over the year, supporting the causes Carson cared deeply about – including bringing Augment Therapy to hospitalized children, funding wigs for cancer patients, supporting therapeutic horseback riding and other programs for children with physical and emotional challenges, encouraging educational opportunities for youth, providing funding for childhood cancer research, and more. Make your donation on our website and select “Make this donation every month.”

Thank you for helping us remember Carson in a way that will bring joy to others – just as Carson would have wanted it.