She kept going. Now help her take the final step.

Help Cassidy Complete the Climb

Support Cassidy as she moves to Buffalo, New York, for her Fall 2026 Child Life internship at Golisano Children's Hospital.

After years of overcoming chronic illness and preparing for this career, Cassidy is one step away from becoming the kind of support she once needed.

Donate Now Sponsor Her for a Day Read Her Story

Every gift helps Cassidy take one step closer. 🌷

Cassidy smiling outdoors
Her Journey

Cassidy's Story

Where It Began

Cassidy's path to Child Life didn't start in a classroom. It started in a hospital bed.

An accident in eighth grade caused a traumatic brain injury and years of chronic illness. As a teenager, she spent long days in children's hospitals searching for answers.

During those days, Child Life Specialists brought her paint and canvases. Stress balls during hard procedures. The next book in her favorite series. They even advocated for her exhausted mom.

Cassidy as a young patient in the hospital, smiling in a neck brace
The hospital days that shaped her calling
Those small moments of comfort changed everything.

The Climb

Now, Cassidy is working to become that person for other children and families.

She earned her B.S. in Psychology with minors in Family Services and Early Childhood Development, plus extra Child Life coursework through UC Santa Barbara.

With limited opportunities in Southern Utah, she applied three rounds in a row to earn a spot in a virtual practicum and completed 145 clinical hours. Many said it wouldn't be enough. She kept going anyway.

Cassidy in her cap and gown at graduation Cassidy smiling with her animals Cassidy hiking a trail in Southern Utah

The Buffalo Opportunity

For her final 600-hour internship, she applied to 32 hospitals nationwide. Three interviews. Two finals. One offer.

Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo selected Cassidy as their Fall 2026 Child Life Intern — a rare achievement on a first application round.

This internship is not just a move to Buffalo. It is the final step in a years-long dream.

Why She Needs Support

This opportunity came sooner than expected, before Cassidy could build savings. It was too important to walk away from.

Moving across the country comes with real costs: travel, housing, groceries, and daily needs. Your support helps carry Cassidy up this final stretch.

The Impact

Why Child Life Matters

Child Life Specialists help children and families cope with medical experiences. They use education, play, preparation, comfort, and advocacy to make hard moments feel less scary.

Cassidy knows the impact of this work because she has lived it.

She remembers what it felt like to be scared, in pain, and far from normal life. She also remembers the people who helped her feel human again.

Now, she wants to offer that same care to others.

Comfort & Advocacy

Bringing care to children who are scared and families who are overwhelmed.

Education & Preparation

Helping children understand what's happening so fear becomes less overwhelming.

Lived Experience

Bringing authentic understanding to children and families navigating medical trauma.

Fall 2026

A Rare Opportunity in Buffalo

32 applications.

3 interviews.

2 final interviews.

1 offer.

Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo selected Cassidy. This is a highly respected stand-alone children's hospital with a dedicated Child Life team.

Like most Child Life internships, this position is unpaid — and housing is not provided. Cassidy will complete 600 clinical hours while covering all of her own living costs. That's why every bit of support matters.

This internship is the final step in Cassidy's training before certification. It will give her 16 weeks of supervised clinical experience and help her move from student to professional.

Cassidy smiling in her Buffalo sweatshirt from Golisano Children's Hospital Close-up of the Golisano Children's Hospital Buffalo logo on Cassidy's sleeve

Officially Buffalo bound. 💙

Join the Climb

Ways You Can Help

Choose the path that feels right for you. Every kind of support matters.

Shop Handmade Gifts

Handmade items created by family.

Sponsor Her for a Day

Cover meals, transportation, and essentials.

Fill Her Pantry

Help stock groceries and comforts of home.

Give Any Amount

Every gift moves Cassidy up the trail.
Comforts of Home

Fill Her Pantry

Moving for an internship means starting over with the basics. Help Cassidy stock her pantry and settle into life in Buffalo with groceries and household items.

Add to Her Pantry

💜Tap a jar to open Venmo with the amount already filled in. If it doesn't carry over, just enter it there! 💛

Handmade with Heart

Handmade Gifts Made with Love

Cassidy's family is creating handmade gifts to help support her move and internship. Each purchase helps fund her journey and carries a little piece of home with it.

📦 Shipping included on every handmade gift

💜Buttons open Venmo with the price and item already filled in. Please add your shipping address to the Venmo note so we know where to send it!

🌼 Handmade & Donated Treasures

Silent Winter Morning — original acrylic painting of a red barn in snow

Silent Winter Morning

Original acrylic painting, 16 × 20. A quiet winter scene painted by hand.

Donated by Janis Stearns, Cassidy's grandmother

$801 available
Buy on Venmo
Animal Quilt — handmade flannel quilt with animal squares

Animal Quilt

Handmade quilt, 48½ × 59½, made with all flannel. Cozy and full of character.

Donated by Lois Drell, Cassidy's grandmother

$1151 available
Buy on Venmo
Pastel Baby Quilt — handmade quilt in soft pastel colors

Pastel Baby Quilt

Handmade baby quilt, 36 × 42. Cotton front with a soft flannel backing.

Donated by Lois Drell, Cassidy's grandmother

$651 available
Buy on Venmo
Bear Paw — layered wood art in two finishes

Bear Paw

Layered wood art, 9½ × 8. A forest scene nested inside a bear paw — available in light or dark finish.

Donated by Zach Hatch @ ZNC Studios

$451 Left
Buy on Venmo
Oval Cactus — layered wood desert scene

Oval Cactus

Layered wood art, 4 × 8. A desert scene with cactus, moon, and mesa.

Donated by Zach Hatch @ ZNC Studios

$402 available
Buy on Venmo
Custom Cutting Board — handcrafted wood with handle

Custom Cutting Board

6 × 11 (without handle). Custom engraving included — make it personal!

Donated by Zach Hatch @ ZNC Studios

$751 available
Buy on Venmo
Rustic 5-hook spoon and fork hanger — available in red, light blue, or dark blue

5-Hook Hanger

Vintage spoon & fork hooks on reclaimed barnwood, 26¾" long. Swipe through the photos to see all three colors — red, light blue, and dark blue.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$1153 colors — pick your favorite in the note
Buy on Venmo
Rustic 3-hook spoon hanger on wood with peeling blue paint

3-Hook Hanger — Peeling Blue

Vintage spoon hooks on 22" of beautifully chippy blue-painted wood. Full of farmhouse character.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$1151 available
Buy on Venmo
Three rustic 3-hook spoon and fork hangers with white peeling paint

3-Hook Hangers — White Peeling

Vintage spoon & fork hooks on white chippy-paint barnwood. $80 each, or take all three for $200.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$80 / $200 set3 available
Buy the Set of 3 — $200 Buy on Venmo
Vertical rustic coffee mug holder with four vintage butter knife hooks holding mugs

Vertical Mug Holder

A 28" vertical coffee cup rack with four vintage butter knife hooks. Your morning ritual, elevated.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$1151 available
Buy on Venmo
Rustic 3-hook spoon and fork hanger on dark reclaimed barnwood

3-Hook Hanger — Dark Barnwood

Vintage spoon & fork hooks on 18" of rich, dark reclaimed barnwood. Beautiful in an entryway or kitchen.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$951 available
Buy on Venmo
Vertical mug rack on dark barnwood with three vintage spoon hooks holding mugs

Vertical Mug Rack — Dark Barnwood

A 24" vertical rack with three vintage spoon hooks on dark reclaimed barnwood. Perfect for your favorite mugs.

Donated by Cassidy's parents

$1051 available
Buy on Venmo

🎨 Cassidy's Art — Evergreen Artistry

Prints, stickers, and magnets of Cassidy's own paintings. Buy her art, fund her climb. 💛

Original acrylic canvas painting of a silkie chicken on an orange background

Silkie Chicken — Original Canvas

The original 11 × 14 acrylic canvas, signed by Cassidy. Sold as is — this is the one-of-a-kind piece the prints came from.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$1001 available
Buy on Venmo
Dark framed print of a golden mountains painting

Golden Mountains Print — Dark Frame

Framed 8×10 print of Cassidy's golden mountain landscape, in a dark frame.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$401 available
Buy on Venmo
Dark framed print of a blue silkie chicken painting

Silkie Chicken Print — Dark Frame

Framed 5×7 print of the blue silkie chicken painting, in a dark wood frame.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$401 available
Buy on Venmo
White framed pressed flowers print

Pressed Flowers Print

Framed 5×7 print of delicate pressed flowers, in a clean white frame.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$401 available
Buy on Venmo
Hand painted Let's Wander stickers with mountain and flowers

"Let's Wander" Stickers

Hand-painted 2×2 sticker of mountains and wildflowers. Perfect for water bottles and laptops.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$410 available
Buy on Venmo
Hand painted poem sticker with mountain meadow

Poem Sticker

Hand-painted 2×3 sticker: "All the things in life that you love are just reminders that you are exactly where you are supposed to be."

Current batch sold out — new ones painted to order!

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$4Made to order
Buy on Venmo
Hand painted Take a Hike stickers with mountain and blue flowers

"Take a Hike" Stickers

Hand-painted 2×3 sticker with a peachy mountain and blue wildflowers.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$47 available
Buy on Venmo
Hand painted golden mountain stickers

Golden Mountain Stickers

Hand-painted 2×3 sticker of the golden mountain landscape.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$49 available
Buy on Venmo
Golden mountain magnets

Golden Mountain Magnets

The golden mountains as a 2×3 magnet — art for your fridge.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$63 available
Buy on Venmo
Evergreen Artistry brand sticker with dog and flowers

Evergreen Artistry Stickers

Cassidy's 2.5×3 brand sticker — a sweet golden retriever wreathed in wildflowers.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

$45 available
Buy on Venmo
Examples of Cassidy's made-to-order designs

Made-to-Order Designs

Love one of Cassidy's designs? Swipe through a few examples — most can be made to order as a print, sticker, or magnet.

Cassidy's own artwork — Evergreen Artistry

Ask us!Made to order
Request a Design

💛 These Found Their Homes

Thank you to everyone who has already purchased a handmade gift — every one of these helped carry Cassidy closer to Buffalo.

Strawberry Moon — original acrylic painting of a full moon over soft cloudsSold
Strawberry Moon
Night Sky — original acrylic painting of the Milky Way over a lavender field (sold)Sold
Night Sky
Fall Day — framed watercolor of bare trees on a hillsideSold
Fall Day (Watercolor)
Winter — framed watercolor of a snowy sunset landscapeSold
Winter (Watercolor)
Rustic 3-hook hanger on green barnwoodSold
3-Hook Hanger — Green Barnwood
Set of hand-painted watercolor greeting cards with envelopesSold
Hand-Painted Greeting Cards
Silkie Chicken Print in light gold frame (sold)Sold
Silkie Chicken Print — Light Frame

Gift options and availability may change as new handmade items are created.

Have a handmade item you'd like to donate to the fundraiser? We'd love that! Email us at itsworththeclimb@yahoo.com 💛

View Available Gifts
Words Matter Too

Send Cassidy Some Encouragement

Your words can carry her up the mountain, too. Leave a note below.

Thank you! Your kind words mean the world. 💐

Good to Know

Questions & Answers

What is this fundraiser for?
This fundraiser helps Cassidy cover the costs of moving to Buffalo, New York, and completing her Fall 2026 Child Life internship.
What expenses will donations help cover?
Donations may help with travel, housing, groceries, transportation, daily essentials, internship-related costs, and emergency expenses.
Can I donate a custom amount?
Yes. Any amount helps and is deeply appreciated.
Can I donate an item to the fundraiser?
Yes! If you'd like to contribute a handmade item to be sold in support of Cassidy, email us at itsworththeclimb@yahoo.com. We'd love to include it.
Can I support Cassidy without donating?
Yes. Sharing the fundraiser, purchasing a handmade gift, or sending Cassidy encouragement are all meaningful ways to help.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Unless otherwise stated, donations should be considered personal gifts and may not be tax-deductible.

Help Cassidy Take the Final Step

Cassidy has spent years preparing for this moment. She has lived through the kind of fear, pain, and uncertainty that many children face in medical settings.

Now, she is ready to turn that experience into care, comfort, and advocacy for others.

Your support helps her get to Buffalo, complete her internship, and carry this kindness forward. 🌸

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