About Us

#spreadthelove

Mary Beth Benison, even during the most challenging periods of her illness, often expressed how grateful she was to have the support of family and friends. She had tremendous compassion and knew how difficult it was when dealing with an illness and she wanted to find a way to help.

Our Inspiration

Over a 15 year period, our friend and family member Mary Beth Benison overcame numerous health challenges but in 2014 she was diagnosed with two terminal illnesses, mesothelioma and ALS. Her ability to fight and remain strong through this devastating news was inspiring to many. Mary Beth often expressed how grateful she was to have the support of family and friends. She had tremendous compassion and knew how difficult it was when dealing with an illness and she wanted to find a way to help.

The foundation was started as a way to continue her legacy of kindness, love and compassion.

Executive Director
Katie Benison Camell

A Worcester native, Katie first got involved in charity work in 1999 when she was just out of college.

At the time her oldest sister, Mary Beth was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Inspired to try to help in some way, Katie organized her first fundraiser to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association.

The following year her father Francis passed away from prostate cancer and Katie decided to get involved with Dana Farber Cancer Institute and host an event.

Life took Katie in a different direction, she got married to her husband Fred and went to law school while working full-time in Boston. Eventually she passed the bar (yes, it took her a few times and she doesn’t mind saying it) and became a lawyer. However, it wasn’t until after losing Mary Beth to ALS and learning more about the disease that Katie decided to take her charity work to the next level.

She established the Mary Beth Benison Foundation Inc. in 2016 as a way to honor MB’s desire to help people who needed it most.

Katie is extremely passionate about her work and determined to continue to #spreadthelove In her free time when she’s not taking care of her three children (ages 9, 6 and 3) she tries her best to fit in exercise, trips to the beach and reading.