Catholic student, inspired by her faith, creates hundreds of care packages for cancer patients
An Immaculate Heart Academy (IHA) student is making a difference in the lives of cancer patients, one care package at a time.
Samantha Raia, a senior at IHA in Washington Township, embarked on her mission to deliver care packages containing essential toiletries to cancer patients at local hospitals and treatment centers when she was just 14 years old. The project, which Raia named “From My Heart to Yours,” began as her freshman year Valor Project, an IHA service requirement that encourages students to use their unique gifts to leave the world better than they found it. The project was born from the profound influence of her own grandmother’s battle with pancreatic cancer and her deep Catholic faith, Raia said.
During her freshman year of high school, Raia’s grandmother battled stage four pancreatic cancer. As she witnessed the difficulties her grandmother encountered during treatment, Raia began assembling care packages, not only for her grandmother but also for all patients facing similar struggles.
Though her grandmother passed away in September 2019, Raia remained committed to her project, determined to make a positive difference in the lives of cancer patients and with the support of her grandfather. Over the past four years, the “From My Heart to Yours” project has evolved significantly. Raia started her project by delivering basic toiletry bags to John Theurer Cancer Center patients at the Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack. She now assembles comprehensive care packages containing items such as lip balm, crossword puzzles, coloring books, journals, playing cards, fuzzy socks, phone chargers, and various comfort items.
“I just make people happy during what is a very difficult time,” Raia said. “I really just want them to know that no matter what their situation is there is someone thinking about them.”
Nancy Karole Kennedy, Director of Development at John Theurer Cancer Center said the care packets lift the spirits of not only the recipients but also the staff who witness the joy on their patients’ faces.
“Sammy brings a ray of sunshine to John Theurer Cancer Center every time she visits,” said Kennedy. “She keeps the memory of her dear grandmother alive by spreading her kindness and generosity.”
She has also expanded her deliveries to the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center treatment, Walter Reed Medical Center, and other smaller treatment and hospice centers.
To date, Raia has delivered hundreds of care packages and established a club at IHA dedicated to hand-sewing blankets for the transplant center at Hackensack University Medical Center.
She actively promotes her project through an Instagram account, where supporters can contribute to underwrite the costs of care package content.
Raia’s altruistic efforts go beyond care packages. In August, she organized an event that raised over $15,000 for The Tutu Project, a nonprofit offering financial and emotional support to breast cancer patients and their families. Another event that she organized raised $50,000 for the Madison Holleran Foundation and West Bergen Mental Healthcare, supporting suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
Faith plays a pivotal role in Raia’s service initiatives. She also serves as the Service President of the school’s Christian Service Board and as a Eucharistic Minister. Her Catholic upbringing and education have shaped her commitment to serving others, she said.
“Through my faith, I try really hard to be the best version of myself each and every day,” she said. “I take every opportunity available to me to try to follow God and make the world a better place. My faith has pushed me to be the person God calls me to be and has given me the opportunity to become the person I am today.”
Raia’s project has garnered her several awards from her school. In 2021, she received the distinction of Dorothy Day Valor Project of the Year from IHA for her project. She was recognized with the Immaculate Heart Academy Service Award for Exceptional Service to the Sick in 2022 when she was a sophomore and with a Women of Valor Among Us Award in 2023.
IHA principal Kerry Carrol described Raia as a “dynamic” young woman and said that Raia “has consistently demonstrated an affinity for and commitment to service during her four years at IHA.”
“Sammy is never without a smile or a thoughtful word, and her obvious care for her community extends well beyond the walls of IHA,” Carrol said. “She is a true servant leader and has helped shape the legacy of not only her class but of our school’s culture.”
“I do not remember a time in my life when I did not do some type of giving back, but ever
since I came to IHA and learned more about God and how He made all people in His image, I have been
more inclined to give back and serve all people as God serves,” she said “Through my Catholic education, I am fully aware of my calling to serve my community and do all that I can in order to benefit their lives, even if it is in a small way.”
Raia, who resides with her parents and two English bulldogs, Henrietta and Charlotte, plans to continue her project, From My Heart to Yours, while attending Boston College in the fall. She is currently in the process of officially registering her project as a non-profit organization.
