Please see our NBC video interview where Anthony and I were interviewed by NBC and we discussed our experience with St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital and their music therapist, Melissa Sandoval. We were asked as part of a brand-new program if they could record Caterina’s heartbeat and play a song along with the heartbeat. It was extremely emotional but we agreed to do it. Now we have Caterina’s heart beat recorded playing a very special song alongside of it; A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. We are forever grateful for this small piece of Caterina that is tangible and lives with us forever. This interview is also very special to us as we have all 3 of our children captured in the video.

In addition to working on the foundation, we had also been working on something else tremendously special to us. In August 2017, we became pregnant with our precious Ale. Every day was a struggle for 9 months to get through this pregnancy, and even now that she is here we look back and wonder how we made it through. She is certainly the light we needed and has brought an abundance of joy and happiness to our lives; however, this does not subtract the sadness of losing Caterina for each child is special, unique, and could never replace the other. Caterina and Alessandra, two little girls meant to be sisters, but not on earth at the same time. For simply existing meant the other one did not. We have found to have enough love in our hearts for all three of our precious children. Two in our arms, one forever in our hearts.

Welcome Alessandra Grace Ziniti

We want to thank you for all the love and support you have shown our family over the past year and a half. As you sat alongside us during our heartbreaking loss of our beloved Caterina, you are intimately aware of how difficult the road has been to get here. A road that has been filled with tears both happy and sad, fear, hope, faith and so so much love. For Alessandra to arrive safely in our arms is something we longed for, prayed for, and dreamed of every single day. Thank you for praying for our family as we journey through both grief and joy. We are so grateful to welcome this miracle baby girl into our lives.

With Love,
The Ziniti Family

“Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue,
and the dreams that you dare to dream
really do come true….”

Our 1st Annual Caterina Grace Walk for Life Event took place on November 18th at Belmont Lake State Park which featured a 2 mile walk around the lake. We also provided some light refreshments as well as some fun bounce house activities for the kids who participated.

This event hosted over 300 walkers and helped to raise an incredible $38,000!!! The proceeds from this event went directly to the Alan Beggs Research Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital which goes to researching targeted therapies for rare congenital myopathies. We are so grateful for those who took the time out of their day to come and join us that morning as well as everyone who donated their time, money, and services to make this event so special.

We had 26 businesses sponsor or donate their services for our 1st Walk and The Caterina Grace Foundation is eternally grateful to know such compassionate and altruistic people and businesses. Everyone’s support had a direct impact on improving the lives of other children living with rare muscle diseases as well as helping our foundation honor our beloved Caterina Grace.

Here are some of the businesses that sponsored:

• National Medical Consultants – Dr. Gene DeBlasio
• National Arbitration & Mediation – Joseph Ehrlich
• Oppenheimer Funds – Wendy Hetson Ehrlich
• Exit Realty – Chris Boylan
• Dynamic Demolition – Christopher Fragala
• Fortitude Investment Group – Jeffrey Alan Kiesnoski & Dan Raupp
• Wisell, McGee & Romano, LLP – Mike Romano
• GEICO
• Oro Puro II – The Matozzo Family
• Renaissance Albums – Terry Huang Jr.
• MAP Estate Planning – Ann Marie Ziniti & Steve Ziniti
• Franklin Merchant Capital – Sal Dell Italia
• With Pride – Michael Joesph Dolan
• CryoCure Cryotherapy Wellness Center – Irina Gershkovich
• New York Ravioli & Pasta Company, Inc. – Paul Moncada
• Costello Construction – Eoin Costello
• Sugrue Contracting – Dennis Sugrue & the Sugrue Family
• Eddie’s Pizza – Joe DiVittorio
• UFC Gym/New Hyde Park – Carisa Marie & Jehad Ibrahim
• Consolidated Vending Services – Renee Rehm Maiale & The Maiale Family
• NYFF Events – Jamie Cavaliere
• Sandys Party Supply – John Randazzo & Christine Alfino Randazzo
• Taylor Event Group – Chris Taylor
• Dunkin Donuts – Dogwood Avenue, Franklin Square
• Cross Island Fruits – Lynbrook

On November 6^th 2017, we were invited to the Annual St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital Tribute Dinner at Guastavino’s in New York City. We were asked to be the St. Mary’s key note speakers for the evening. Although incredibly difficult, we were honored to share our daughter’s story, speak about the loving care provided to them and their daughter from St. Mary’s hospital, and talk about their aspirations for the Caterina Grace Foundation.

The proceeds from the Tribute Dinner will help provide hope and healing to children and their families served by St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children in the five boroughs of New York and beyond. St. Mary’s touches more children with special healthcare needs than any other organization in New York State through an integrated network of inpatient, home care and community programs.

To view and hear our speech please click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywH_ueApQ9o&feature=share

Presented by Legislator William R. Spencer of the Eighteenth District

On October 3^rd at 4:00 p.m. in Hauppauge, Long Island, Legislator William R. Spencer of the Eighteenth District presented to our family with a Proclamation naming Caterina’s birthday, November 15, 2017 as Caterina Grace Ziniti Day in Suffolk County to raise awareness for Nemaline Myopathy and the Caterina Grace Foundation in recognition of the help we provide for research as we strive for therapies and ultimately a cure. We are honored and proud to be recognized by the Suffolk County Legislature as well as the citizens of Suffolk County.

It is an interesting coincidence, that Caterina’s birthday, November 15^th, is also National Philanthropy Day (NPD). Philanthropy is “the love of humankind” and is a day where thousands of people around the world come together and put words into action and recognize the change that word has brought to our communities. It is a celebration of giving, volunteering, and charitable engagement. I couldn’t think of a more beautiful day to recognize Caterina, and all the people that loved her and love us. Without the generous charitable contributions of family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, business sponsorships and our communities, the Caterina Grace Foundation would not exist today. We are so fortunate and so humbled to not only be able to honor our daughter, but also to be able to help other children battling this rare illness. Thank you for keeping her memory alive in all our hearts.

On August 13^th, 2017, the Caterina Grace Foundation presented a $27,000 check to Northwell Health Cohen Children’s Medical Center. $20,000 would be distributed to the Genetics Program led by Dr. Kenan O’Nell and $7,000 to the Chaplaincy Program. While Caterina was alive, Mom and Dad worked with Dr. Hyman and Dr. Bialer within the Genetics Department to try to obtain answers regarding Caterina’s illness. It was through extensive genetic testing – the “WES” or Whole Exome Sequencing, we would be able to identify a de novo gene mutation that caused Caterina’s horrible disease. This test is so extensive it took close to three months to obtain results. One of the main reasons we decided to contribute to the genetics department is because we truly believe that in furthering the identification and understanding of gene mutations, hospitals can better improve how they treat their patients with regards to all types of disease. Specifically, one of the major projects the Genetics Department at Northwell is working on is to understand rare cancers in young adolescents. Studies have shown that rare cancers have been linked to specific gene mutations and by knowing what these mutations are, patients are able to receive specialized treatment more rapidly, thus improving their survival rate. Cancer is a disease that unfortunately affects many families and the more we understand cancer causing genes the more equipped we are to both prevent and treat cancer in our loved ones.

The $7,000 we provided to the Chaplaincy Department was largely in part to the spiritual guidance we received from a very special man named Adrian Mazur. We met Adrian on day three of Caterina’s life. Anthony’s father, Steve, had arranged an anointing of the sick sacrament and Adrian stopped by to talk to us about it. He gave us a beautiful pink rosary to hang in Caterina’s incubator along with a picture of Mary and Jesus to hang there as well. There was something about the way he spoke that was so comforting to us and I remember on this day I was crying and thanking him for his support. He told me, “Mom, don’t cry, because the name Caterina is derived from the name Catherine and St. Catherine’s Monastery is the oldest monastery in the world and the one where the most miracles have occurred.” This encounter has stuck with me and although the miracle would not be Caterina’s healing on earth, but in heaven, we are left with the miracle that people can comfort us during the absolute worst time in our lives. Adrian went on to support us throughout Caterina’s life visiting us daily in the Neonatal ICU, saying prayers with us and her. He even visited us at St. Mary’s on one of Caterina’s first nights there. A welcoming face we saw in the door way of her room right before we had to kiss our girl goodnight. He also stayed by our sides throughout her Pediatric ICU stay and was in the room with us when she passed and went to Heaven. We are so thankful for his support and he will always hold a special place in our hearts.

On August 10^th, 2017, St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital honored our donation pledge by naming the Caterina Grace Ziniti Room. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to honor our angel as we were surrounded by our family and friends for this beautiful. The Caterina Grace Foundation presented the hospital with a $27,000 check bringing out total donation to $38,000 fulfilled of the $50,000 pledge. Her Room was named – “In Celebration of Caterina Grace Ziniti.” Local newspapers in Queens also covered the story. St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital provided 24-hour nursing and respiratory care for Caterina as well as speech, physical and occupational therapy on a daily basis. We are proud to be featured on their website as one of their generous donors.

On Sunday April 23, 2017, the Caterina Grace Foundation attended the Big Hearts for St Mary’s Walk at Crocheron Park in Bayside Queens NY. 100 close family and friends joined us as we walked 2 miles in honor of our sweet Caterina as well as all the children battling rare and serious illnesses and being treated by St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to see many of Caterina’s nurses and therapists. A friendly online competition allowed us to create a team name – Team Caterina Grace to help support our walk and raise funding for this special hospital. Through sign ups and donations, the foundation was able to raise $11,000 for St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, placing Team Caterina Grace in first place and winning the competition!

Thank you to everyone who helped us make this day so meaningful for us.