By GRETA SHUSTER
Beacon Media Staff Writer
This story was originally published in the Warwick Beacon, a publication partner of Ocean State Stories.
Read this story in its original form and all other Beacon stories by clicking here.
Caroline Caprio has dedicated her life to spreading awareness about the prevalence of brain tumors and supporting brain tumor patients and their families in Rhode Island through both financial and spiritual support.
Caprio, who has lived in Warwick for 18 years, is a survivor of a brain tumor. She was diagnosed in July of 2013 and was told that she needed emergency surgery to remove largea tumor that had developed.
Despite her solid health insurance, Caprio was left with a bill of almost $50,000 in copays.
“At that time, I said, when I survive this, I’m going to make sure I don’t leave any brain tumor patient behind,” said Caprio, sparking the idea for a nonprofit that helps those in a similar position.
“The problem was there was really no program out there available to me,” she said. “How are we expected to pay all these medical bills while fighting for our lives?”
The Caroline Caprio Brain Tumor Foundation began in 2019, and initially was personally funded by Jayne Oliver, a friend of Caprio’s, for its first two years. Now, an all-volunteer board runs the foundation, including an attorney, a therapist and a nurse as well as other brain tumor survivors.
The foundation’s mission is to provide monetary and emotional support to patients and their families dealing with brain tumors. Caprio said that the foundation helps to cover co-pays, prescriptions and even Uber rides to and from appointments.
Personally, Caprio has dedicated her time to sitting with families as their loved ones go through surgery and offering emotional support through conversation.
“Love them through it,” is what she tells families who have a relative battling a brain tumor.
Caprio also offers biweekly support group sessions over Zoom, which she said are attended by people all over the country.
“Sometimes you think it’s only you who’s experiencing a kind of symptom,” said Caprio. She aims to create a space over Zoom where people will feel a sense of solidarity and empathy.
The foundation holds only one fundraiser per year. The annual event, Brainstorming for a Cause, will be held this year at the Quonset ‘O’ Club, at 200 Lt. James Brown Rd. in North Kingstown on Saturday, May 30, from 6-10 p.m.
The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, a four-station dinner buffet, raffles, silent auction, cash rally and more.
Patients, their families, supporters and members of the public alike will gather in community to spread awareness about brain tumors and hear firsthand from those who have experienced the fears and successes of living with brain tumors.
“Until you hear the people get up and tell their story, you can’t understand how significant it is,” Caprio said.
Caprio hopes to raise $35,000 – enough to keep operations running smoothly for the next year. Regardless of the outcome, however, Caprio remains committed to providing help to anyone who needs it.
“I live and breathe this foundation because I know what it’s like to be on the other side,” said Caprio. “I don’t want anyone else to feel lost or terrified.”
Tickets are $70 per person and available at tccbtf.org/brainstorming.
