Samantha Jane is the oldest and only daughter born to Nikki and Dan McCarthy. At the age of six she was diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia, a rare genetic blood disease that leads to bone marrow failure. The McCarthys never let Sam’s illness define her nor their family and Sam lived a life that was full of friends, fun, sports and most things a girl her age would love to do. The only thing that was different was that Sam was managing a very serious illness. As with most things, Sam managed it with grace and strength and did not let it get in her way. When she was 10 and just finishing fourth grade, the McCarthys were told it was time for Sam to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

With grit, strength, positivity and toughness, Sam fought valiantly for the next 14 months until there was nothing left to give.

Losing Sam on October 15, 2009 was the worst day imaginable for Nikki and Dan and their three young sons. It would have been easy to fold up the tent and give in, but Nikki and Dan had asked so much of Sam and they knew that giving up would not have been honoring her life nor the struggles she endured. Not only would giving up be a disservice to Sam, but it would be unfair to the three boys that brightened Nikki and Dan’s dark days.

After five years of continuing to support research for a disease that took their daughter from them, Nikki and Dan decided to focus their support and energy toward something that brought Sam so much joy. The happy memories they had of Sam’s time in the hospital with her music and art therapists were a clear answer.

When nothing else could heal her sick and worn out body, music and art were there to heal Sam’s soul. Sam’s toughest times were made a bit better by listening to her favorite artists or sketching in her journal. Sam could find her voice through songwriting, listening to music or drawing and she could escape to different places other than a hospital bed by creating art and music. One of the most cherished gifts Sam’s family has to this day is a piece of music recorded for her mom of Sam singing one of her favorite songs.

Since its inception in May 2015, Sam’s Fans has provided countless hours of music and art therapy to seriously ill children and their families in hospitals all over Ohio and SW Florida. The work that Sam’s Fans supports is incredibly powerful and there are so many patients like Sam feeling the same feelings of hope, comfort and joy brought on by music and art therapy. The families of these kids are feeling those moments, too, because every parent of a sick child knows that when their child feels better, they heal better.