The Kids of Steele FamFest is a fun-filled evening of families, by families, and for families, all to benefit kids in treatment at the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center and their families.
The Third Annual FamFest will be held Nov. 9 at Funtasticks Family Fun Park, 221 E. Wetmore Road. The event, which raised more than $90,000 in 2024, has become the largest annual fundraiser for Kids of Steele, a family auxiliary for Steele Children’s. This year, the effort has raised $100,000 to date, but its purpose is more than financial support.
“Our goal is always to raise awareness about childhood illnesses and connect the community so we can all work together to help and support these families when they are going through a very tough time with their children,” said Kara Stevens, Co-chair of the event with Andrea Wachs.
Stevens, a dental hygienist, was recruited to the board by past president Lacey Nagao. The Kids of Steele mission to support Steele Children’s Research Center in its quest to teach, heal, and discover resonated with her as a healthcare professional; the mother of three kids ages 10 and under was also eager to embrace the opportunity to work with like-minded parents interested in fostering a love of volunteerism in their children.
People are also reading…
“I think that putting our kids to work at Kids of Steele events wherever needed helps to teach caring and empathy,” she said.
She has seen that in action. Throughout the year, KOS families participate in service projects such as a Spring Service event; Team Up with Arizona Football; a Summer Social; Stocking Stuffing and adoption of families in need during the holidays. Youth who attend FamFest can assist with assembling snack packs and activity kits for patients at Banner pediatric clinics, make bracelets for patients in the hospital, and more.
Supporters of the Kids of Steele FamFest (pictured last year) seek to raise funds and awareness at a Nov. 9 event for the University of Arizona Steele Children’s Research Center.
Expansion of the event has brought involvement from clubs, students and community organizations including the National Charity League; UA Pom & Dance Line; and the UA Swimming & Diving Team, which volunteers for the popular Dunk Tank for Dana, honoring a beloved Steele patient.
The feel-good fundraiser that has become special to the entire community, including patients of Steele Children’s who attend free of charge, according to Nita Jain, Vice President of the Board for Kids of Steele.
“Expanding the event brings awareness to the community and brings more members to Kids of Steele ... our big initiative is always to let as many patients and immediate family members come to the event for free as possible. We are lucky enough to have community sponsorships that allow that to happen,” said Jain, a pharmacist and mother of two.
“FamFest puts smiles on the faces of kids who may not normally get to go to different places where they can freely enjoy themselves. This evening allows them and their family members to do that.”
Improving quality of life for Arizona patients and their families — and children around the world — is a core tenet of the Kids of Steele Mission. Since inception, the family auxiliary has raised nearly $2 million to support children’s medical research at Steele Children’s, which logs 60,000 patient visits annually through its clinical partner, Banner Health. Faculty and physicians of Steele Children’s provide treatment for sick children and regular pediatric well-checks; training for medical students and residents; and research in 28 labs with cutting-edge equipment. Steele offers pediatric-trained specialists, sub-specialists and researchers in cancer, cardiology, gastroenterology, autoimmune disorders, developmental behavioral pediatrics and genomic medicine.
This year, Steele celebrated 30 years under the direction of Dr. Fayez Ghishan, who is planning to step back from administrative duties to continue patient care and dive deeper into research, according to Steele Children’s Development Director Lori Stratton. The center is in the midst of a search for a new director and is renovating pediatric cancer labs, with plans for renovation of three labs in 2026. Additionally, it recently hired Tucson’s only pediatric rheumatologist, Dr. Marci Macaraeg.
“She is a former (medical) resident who has returned to Tucson and wants to make it her permanent home with her husband,” Stratton said. “She will see children with lupus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions that affect the joints. It is very exciting to have a wonderful doctor like this in Tucson; there has been a void.”
Kids of Steele has also established a scholarship for UA students who are former Steele Children’s patients and their siblings. They have provided scholarships between $375 and $1,000 each to nine students this year to help defray fees for tuition, books or college-related expenses.
“Often these families are negatively impacted because of all of the medical expenses they had to bear and the families haven’t been in positions to save for college or to help their children with college expenses. Kids of Steele established a scholarship for the students who want to go to UA and they are working to grow that scholarship fund,” said Stratton.
Ultimately, Kids of Steele is all about bringing people together with a shared mission of supporting children and their families as they deal with potentially “the toughest battles of their lives,” Jain said.
“We want them to know they are not alone in this,” she said.
