This summer, the community in Bethesda, Maryland hung lights and decorated the halls, wearing a Christmas jammy in honor of a very special nine-year-old girl, Casey Sachman, who has a brain tumor.
“She ran because she hadn’t run in years,” Casey’s father, Joe Zachman, told NBC Nightly News about her daughter’s reaction to the “Casey for Casey Christmas” event. “She wanted to be in the middle of it.”
Kasey was diagnosed at just five years old as an aggressive form of brain cancer called medulloblastoma. Over the past four years, she has endured surgery, procedures, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials. On June 23, 2025, Casey’s moms Joe and Alyssa learned that they only had a few weeks left with their family. The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
The news changed the date of her daughter’s original diagnosis to June 28th for Christmas as the Zachmans is in motion.
Kacey is waving to friends and neighbors who changed their diagnosis date (June 28th) to Christmas Day.
Allison Robbart from Washington Post/Getty Images
“I was trying to think about the fun things Casey could do to make memories, so we thought it would be amazing to give her the opportunity to celebrate Christmas one last time,” Alyssa told Bethesda.
Casey always loves Christmas. According to the Washington Post, she watches “Home Alone” movies and sings Christmas carols all year round. (Gwen Stefani’s “Make It Feel Like Christmas” is at the top of her own personal Christmas chart.)
Kasey’s parents emailed a handful of neighbors who asked to put up their Christmas lights and said, “It’s been so hot this week, not the best weather to set up the lights, but I don’t know how long I’ll have.”
And the boy, the elves have started working!
Casey and her mother approach a parade in front of their home in Bethesda, Maryland.
Allison Robbart from Washington Post/Getty Images
“All of our neighbors were sweating while we were on the Christmas lights,” neighbor Alison Goladia told NBC Nightly News.
With only six days of notification, more than 24 fire trucks drove to Kasey’s house, with Santa Claus himself sitting on an antique fire truck. Hundreds of houses were lit up and greeted Casey in a pink Nutcracker themed dress. There was a surprise, a card and a gift for Casey, who I generically shared with my sister Zara.
The neighbors gather in front of Casey’s house to meet her and Santa.
Allison Robbart from Washington Post/Getty Images
“It was magic. We were trying to get to all the houses, so it took us two hours to drive,” Alyssa told Bethesda magazine. “There were people waiting to cheer us on in the rain. There really is no word to explain how wonderful everyone is.”
There was also a virtual effort to celebrate Kasey. Supporters sent holiday photos and videos from all 50 states and several countries.
“For us, June 28th was ‘diagnosis day.’
“We are very grateful that we can think of June 28th as June 28th, especially next year’s Christmas.”
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