By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
In July of 2025, Pennsauken resident Daniela Tavarez received news that no mother wants to hear. That her son, Caius, had high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer that makes abnormal white blood cells. His treatment has been a difficult journey, one that included extremely long stays in hospitals. But through all of those difficult moments, Caius was focused on one thing. And it was that specific request that inspired Tavarez to help others facing similar challenges.
“Caius told me that when he felt better, all he wanted was his papa’s tacos. That simple request stayed with me,” explained Tavarez. “In the hospital, I noticed how other children talked about the meal they couldn’t wait to be able to eat again. I realized that a meal could represent so much more than food. It can represent home, family, comfort and something to look forward to. If food could give Caius something to look forward to during one of the hardest times of his life, maybe it could do the same for another child.”
That moment that Tavarez’s son and so many other children hoped for became the inspiration for Caius Golden Bell of Hope, a nonprofit started by the Township resident. The goal of the organization is to create “bell ringing” celebrations for children completing a treatment phase, the end of cancer treatment, or reaching a significant milestone in their medical journey. Through their Hope at the Table™ program, these young “cancer warriors” get to choose exactly the type of meal they want to share with their family during these moments, and Caius Golden Bell of Hope partners with local restaurants, caterers, and food vendors to provide a fully catered celebration.
“Whether a child is finished treatment or their family wants to give them that meaningful moment, we want to be there,” said Tavarez. “We want to give that child the meal they dreamed about and allow them to celebrate, to have that special moment, surrounded by the people closest to them.”
Caius continues to battle his cancer, and the now 14-year-old is in a much better phase of his treatment. His mother is proud of her son’s strength and was more than happy to get him the tacos he was dreaming of.
“He is the reason this organization exists. That one simple request would become the beginning of something bigger,” said Tavarez. “Caius Golden Bell of Hope is making sure that even in the middle of childhood cancer, a child has something to hope for, something to look forward to, and a moment that belongs to them and the people they love.”
To learn more about Caius Gold Bell of Hope, donate, volunteer, sponsor a meal, or become a community partner, visit CaiusGoldenBellofHope.org.
