Teens with Heartsongs Bring Families Comfort and Hope

A young Marylander with a big heart, Mattie Stepanek shared his poetry — including best-seller Heartsongs — before he passed at age 13 from a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Mattie's legacy continues to inspire leaders across generations.

Lisa Friedlander met Mattie at Children's National Hospital while her daughter, Jacyln, and cousin's son, Nicolas, received lifesaving treatment. In 2001, Lisa created the Heartsongs Fund to honor Mattie and the Children's National team for the extraordinary care they provide to all patients and families.

After nearly two decades of support fundraising through annual luncheons, Lisa and Ilana Kashdin formed the Teens with Heartsongs program in 2020, inviting high school students to develop their leadership and philanthropic skills to give back to Children’s National. More than 1,000 students across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia have carried this mission forward. In five years, they raised more than $750,000 to cover hotel costs for 1,149 patient families. This keeps them close to their children in the hospital and gives them one less worry. The group has now established an endowment, the Teens with Heartsongs Housing Fund, to sustain its impact.

In its next chapter, the group will raise funds for the hospital’s Child Life and Integrative Care Services team. Their support will bring kids hope and healing through programs like art and music therapy, as well as comfort kits for families during unexpected or extended stays.

“Our teen leaders show us that empathy has the power to heal, inspire and strengthen communities,” Lisa says. “They honor Mattie’s legacy by collaborating with compassion across generations to make remarkable things happen.”