Join us for a heartfelt Evening of Love & Lyrics on October 2 at 5:15 p.m.
Kaitlyn Heflin and Kelly Cervantes have different histories with George Mark Children’s House, but both know how profoundly a child’s serious illness can shape an entire family.
Kaitlyn’s journey: cherished memories despite challenging times
Kaitlyn began experiencing seizures when she was just two years old and was later diagnosed with epilepsy. As her condition became more severe, her childhood included multiple hospital stays, uncomfortable medical procedures and long stretches when everyday life became much harder. By third grade, the severity of her seizures and her debilitating fatigue meant she could no longer attend school.
George Mark Children’s House became part of Kaitlyn’s life while she was still young. At the time, she was very sick and had lost much of her mobility. Despite these challenges, many of the memories she carries from those years are not about illness at all. Instead, they are about creating works of art, attending George Mark proms, meeting Giants players, connecting with other children and families, and celebrating a Make-A-Wish trip to Paris. Her sister, Peyton, found comfort and fun being part of George Mark’s sibling programming.
Today, Kaitlyn attends college and enjoys dancing. She is currently writing a fantasy book whose main character has epilepsy. She hopes to become a preschool teacher and an author.
Kelly knows a different side of that journey.
In 2016, Kelly Cervantes and her husband, Broadway actor Miguel Cervantes, learned that their seven-month-old daughter, Adelaide, had a severe form of epilepsy. Over the next three and a half years, their family navigated the demands of caring for a medically complex child while raising their son and continuing with the life unfolding around them. Sadly, Adelaide died from complications of epilepsy and a neurodegenerative disorder just days before her fourth birthday.
During that extraordinarily difficult time, Kaitlyn’s family experienced support, connection, and treasured childhood moments from the staff at George Mark Children’s House. By going through this life-changing experience firsthand, Kelly’s family knows why that kind of profoundly personal care truly matters.
Since then, Kelly and Miguel have dedicated much of their time to helping other families navigate medically complex caregiving, hospice and grief. Kelly is an award-winning writer, speaker and advocate, and the author of Normal Broken and The Luckiest.
Kaitlyn and Kelly’s stories diverge, but their experiences are connected
On October 2 at 5:15 p.m., Kaitlyn and Kelly will join us for An Evening of Love & Lyrics, where they will share their stories. While their journeys are different, they have both experienced George Mark’s compassionate care. Together, they offer a moving reminder that when a child is seriously ill, caring for the child also means caring for the family around them.
A very limited number of tickets remain. Join us for this special evening and help make compassionate care possible for more children and families.
