Kara Kennedy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kara Kennedy (Allen) was born on February 27, 1960, in Bronxville, New York. She is the only daughter of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, D-MA and Virginia Joan Bennett. Her siblings are Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island and Teddy Kennedy of Connecticut. She is also very close to her two step-siblings (children of Victoria Reggie Kennedy): Curran Raclin of Boston, MA and Caroline Reggie Raclin, a student at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT. Kennedy attended Trinity College in Hartford, completed study in a Semester at Sea, then transferred and graduated from Tufts University.

She married architect and real estate developer Michael Allen on Sept. 9, 1990 in Centerville, Mass. They have two children: Grace Kennedy Allen, born Sept. 19, 1994 in Washington, D.C. and Max Greathouse Allen, born Dec. 20, 1996, in Rockville, Md.

Kara formerly worked for Very Special Arts, a creative counterpart to Special Olympics founded by her aunt Jean Kennedy. She was also formerly on the board of directors for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

In 2002, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. After intensive treatment, her cancer remains in remission. She runs and swims nearly every day.