Nick Strong Foundation Winter 2025/2026 Newsletter
As we reflect on the past several months, we are once again reminded of the incredible strength and generosity of our community. Because of your continued support, the Nick Strong Foundation has been able to bring comfort to families facing pediatric cancer, support meaningful research, and honor Nick’s legacy in powerful ways.
This winter was filled with opportunities to give back—from sponsoring families during the holidays and supporting patients at Boston Children’s Hospital and The Jimmy Fund, to partnering with local students and organizations who share our commitment to helping others. Each act of kindness, whether big or small, helps ease the burden on families navigating an unimaginably difficult journey.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who continues to stand with us. Your generosity allows us to keep Nick’s spirit alive by spreading hope, compassion, and support to children and families who need it most.
Community Events & Our Mission In Action
This Christmas, the Nick Strong Foundation, in partnership with Franklin High School’s Connect for Cancer Club, sponsored two families. Our goal was to alleviate the financial strain and stress of holiday shopping so the families could dedicate their attention to their child’s medical care. The support we provided extended beyond just gifts; one family, for example, used our donation to refill their oil tank. We are deeply thankful to our donors, whose generosity makes it possible for us to offer this vital assistance.
Once again, the foundation provided gift cards to patients and their families at The Jimmy Fund and the oncology and neuro-oncology units at Boston Children’s Hospital. These gift cards were accompanied by handmade holiday cards created by students from Franklin Lions Heart, Franklin High School, and Maynard elementary and middle schools. The nurses, doctors and staff who were working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were gifted with muffins and pastries to show our appreciation to them.
The Nick Strong Foundation generously provided a one-week vacation for a family staying at Tommy’s Place. Tommy’s Place is a year-round, magical vacation home dedicated to children battling cancer, operating as a nonprofit organization. https://tommysplace.org/
The Franklin High School boys and girls basketball teams recently honored Nick and our foundation by participating in the nationwide Coaches v Cancer event. This annual event was a great success. We extend a huge thank you to the FHS basketball players, coaches, parents, and boosters for their support.
The Franklin High School Connect for Cancer Club hosted the 2nd Annual Nick Strong Pickleball Tournament on February 16th. The event was a great success, raising $2,300 to support pediatric cancer. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated, volunteered their time, and generously donated raffle items. Don’t forget to visit the new indoor pickleball courts at Eleveno in Foxboro, MA!
The 3rd Annual Nick Gaspar Tournament, hosted by Franklin High School Boys Varsity Basketball, took place on February 16th and 17th. The tournament featured participation from New Bedford, Natick, and Xavarien Brothers High School. We extend our sincere gratitude to all involved for their efforts in raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer, and most importantly, for remembering and honoring Nick. A special congratulations goes to Xavarien Brothers High School for securing the tournament victory for the second consecutive year.
Upcoming Events
3rd Annual Nick Strong Golf Tournament is taking place on Monday June 15th, 2026 at New England Country Club in Bellingham, MA. We are looking for sponsorship and raffle items to make this event successful. All proceeds from this event will go directly to Dr. Lau’s germ cell research at JAX laboratories.
Click HERE to sign up or sponsor the event
The Boston Marathon will feature several runners supporting important causes. Jen Gaspar and Dave Freedman are running as part of Team Miles for Miracles, raising money for Boston Children’s Hospital. Ryan McCaffrey will be running on Team Dana Farber for the second year in a row in memory of Nick. We encourage everyone to cheer them on if you’re on the route on Marathon Monday and consider donating to their fundraising pages.
Jen’s Fundraising page
Dave’s Fundraising page
Ryan McCaffrey (Team Dana Farber) running in Nick’s memory
