Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Trivia Night

Join us October 11th 2014, for the 9th Annual Casey Ann Hohman Memorial Trivia Night. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Casey’s Place Apartments, pre and post  transplant patients and their families who are in need of assistance with medications, lodging, and other expenses related to their transplant care and The Heart Transplant Association of Saint Louis. The night will include trivia, a silent auction, and games. The cost will be $160 for a table of 8 with beer and soft drinks provided. For more information about registration check out our website.

Trivia Night





Friday, August 8, 2014

Casey’s Place & Casey’s Place Too


 

 


The Casey’s Place Apartments
With the help of our many supporters over the last 12 years and a joint venture with the Larry D. Bond’s Foundation 4Life, the Casey Ann Hohman Memorial Association has been able to open its third apartment for out-of-town patients and their families in need of temporary housing. The newly renovated fully furnished one bedroom apartments with TV and internet are close to the hospital. These apartments not only relieve some of the financial pressure, but they also allow the tenants a place to have a normal life if only for a few hours.
Casey’s Place opened in August of 2007; Casey’s Place Too opened in September of 2008.  Both are open to out-of-area pre- and post- transplant heart transplant patients. Our newest addition, the Tom Quertermous Suite at Casey’s Place, is a joint venture with the Larry D. Bonds Foundation 4Life and opened in June of 2014. This apartment is open not only to heart patients but also to all out-of-area pre- and post- live organ transplant classifications.
The apartments are possible because of the funds raised at our annual trivia night, donations, grants, individuals, companies and like- minded foundations. Our tenants have helped as well with donations and fundraisers from their home communities.
The need for patient out-of-area housing is ever growing, and the Casey Ann Hohman Memorial Association goal is to meet that challenge. While our fundraising efforts and corporate sponsorships continue to grow, we still need to reach out to the community as well as our friends and neighbors for support.
Several years ago we launched an effort to enlist companies and individuals to support a family by donating for either a week ($150.00) or a month’s rent for ($600.00).  We can also manage and furnish an apartment in either a loved one’s name or donor’s name for as little as $7,500.00 a year.
Consider us part of your annual charity donations; please get a table of friends and family together for our annual trivia night, October 11th, 2014, and help us meet the need.
Help us “Make Lemonade”.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014



Casey, a 22 year old student at St. Louis University and an active member of Sigma Kappa Sorority and Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity passed away on February 15, 2002 due to complications from a heart transplant. Throughout her life, Casey valued charitable work and helping others. It is our hope that funds raised by this association will help relieve the suffering of others in a similar situation.
“When life hands you lemons-make lemonade”. This is a saying we have all heard. However, we have recently come to associate this message with the memory of Casey Hohman who took this statement and made it her motto. A poster hung in both her room at home and away at school with that saying. It exemplifies her attitude towards her illness and life in general. At the age of 13, Casey was diagnosed with a heart condition. This condition became more serious over the years and she was eventually placed on a heart transplant list at the age of 16. During the next six years, she was subjected to lengthy hospital stays and continuous bad health. Despite this hand she was dealt, she hid her fear with contagious laughter. Those who knew Casey remember this quality as well as her always-present smiles. Her grace and spirit were an example to us all. Throughout everything, she always presented a positive attitude, a smile and something to laugh about.
Casey never let anyone know that she did not feel well. She saw her condition as an opportunity to improve the life of those around her. When Casey first became sick, she began volunteering at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Her ability to cope with her problems gave hope to others in similar situations. During this time, she was a student at Incarnate Word Academy. While she was there, many opportunities were presented to do service work within the community. It was at this time that a strong sense of service began to drive her. She did not feel sorry for herself or the lot she had been handed and was determined not to let her illness rule her life. Casey felt there were many more people out there who needed help more than she did. In 1998, she graduated from Incarnate Word Academy on time with the rest of her class as a member of the National Honor Society. Without losing momentum, she went off to college where she began working on a double major in marketing and finance in the John Cook School of Business at St. Louis University. She was heavily involved in campus life at SLU. She received the St. Ignatius Loyola Service Scholarship, which is presented to SLU students who are committed to community service. As a member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, she worked with underprivileged children providing them with love and attention. While she loved this organization very much, Casey finally seemed to find her home when she joined Sigma Kappa sorority. She was a founding sister, and took her role very seriously. She loved her sisters very much. While she was a member of Sigma Kappa, she continued her work within the community. It was this commitment to service that inspired us to organize an annual run/walk in Casey’s memory.
While Casey was a senior at SLU, her illness began to take over more than she could fight off. The doctors decided that a transplant could no longer be avoided. On November 14, 2001, thanks to a donor, Casey received a healthy heart. After a 2 week stay in the hospital, she came home. Christmas was always a very special time for Casey, but this Christmas was very important to all of us. Even though she was unable to go out and shop for presents, she still managed to make or obtain a gift for everyone. This was yet another example of her cares and concern for other people. Regrettably, this happiness was short lived by her family and friends. A few weeks after the start of the new year, she returned to the hospital due to complications. Her body began to reject the heart. The doctors tried their best and gave more than could have ever been expected. Casey fought long and hard, but on February 15, 2002, God called her home. To commemorate her positive outlook on life and unwavering grace under pressure, the Casey A. Hohman Memorial Run/Walk has been established in her honor. It is our attempt to make lemonade from our lemons.