Miles For a Mission
Common Trust FCU is pleased and proud to support our friends, Danielle Ciaccio and Credit Unions Kids at Heart in their efforts to raise money for pediatric neurological research. Danielle will train this winter and compete next spring in the 2026 Boston Marathon in honor of her son Jackson who battles Moyamoya disease, a very rare, progressive brain disease.
Danielle Ciaccio’s Fundraising Efforts for the CU Kids at Heart Team Raising Money for Boston Children’s Hospital
I am both honored and thrilled to be running my 5th (and most likely final) Boston Marathon with both the Credit Unions (CU) Kids at Heart Team and multiple credit union sponsors including Common Trust Federal CU, HTM CU, Methuen Federal CU, Stoneham Municipal Employees Federal CU, and Tewksbury Federal CU. Our team raises funds for Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) pediatric neurological research efforts, one being the very rare, progressive brain disease that my son Jackson battles.
Here is an overview of Jackson’s journey as both a stroke and Moyamoya disease warrior:
My son Jackson was 17 months old when he suffered a massive stroke to the right side of his brain, leaving him left side weakened. We lived at BCH and Spaulding Rehabilitation Center for 48 days where Jackson underwent countless testing and rigorous physical, occupational and speech therapies. Three months after his initial stroke, an additional MRI and Angiogram confirmed Jackson was suffering from a very rare brain condition called Moyamoya. This disease causes the arteries that supply blood to the brain to thicken and narrow and, if left untreated, patients can suffer debilitating strokes. We feel so fortunate and blessed to live so close to BCH where the surgery, pial synangiosis, was founded to treat children with Moyamoya. Jackson underwent two successful brain surgeries to restore blood flow to his brain. His yearly MRIs show that the new blood vessels continue to grow from his new scalp artery, bringing more blood to his brain. Today, Jackson is in 8th grade living a healthy and happy life, which is the mission of the CU Kids at Heart Team. Jackson still works with occupational therapists to strengthen his left hand and arm, but ultimately, he has surpassed all expectations of his doctors.
It has been a privilege to be part of the CU Kids at Heart Team that was founded by my dear friend Jane Melchionda back in 1996. To date, our team has raised 10 MILLION DOLLARS for various research efforts at BCH, including cerebral palsy, pediatric epilepsy and other seizure disorders, pediatric brain cancer and Moyamoya disease. Over the past 12 years, our team has supported Jackson’s Neurosurgeon, Dr. Edward Smith, with his Moyamoya research efforts. It has been awe-inspiring to see the progress Dr. Smith and his team are making with Moyamoya research and the incredible developments in diagnosis, treatment, and post-operative care. The CU Kids at Heart Team has exposed my family to the importance of advocacy and education. Jackson’s journey has also been a great lesson for my family teaching us that with strength, determination, a positive attitude, and the drive to never give up, we can accomplish anything.
Thank you for your continued support with my fundraising efforts. Your donation allow the doctors at BCH to continue to further their research and find life-saving treatments for children across the world.
Until Every Child is Well!
About Credit Unions Kids at Heart
Founded in 1996, Credit Unions Kids at Heart began as a collaborative philanthropic activity of Eastern Corporate Federal Credit Union and the Massachusetts credit union community. It has since grown to include Corporate Sponsors and Participating Credit Unions nationwide. A Massachusetts 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Credit Unions Kids at Heart reflects the credit union industry’s core belief in cooperation and collaboration in service of the greater good. Since its founding, Credit Unions Kids at Heart has raised over $10 million toward funding research activities aimed at the prevention, treatment, and/or cure of pediatric neurological diseases, including Moyamoya disease, cerebral palsy, pediatric epilepsy and other seizure disorders, and pediatric brain cancer.
