Testimonials
In December of 2006 and at the age of 9 years old, our daughter
Maggie was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer (Ostea Sarcoma) within
the tibia on her left leg. Over the following year she would
courageously endure more than 150 nights in the hospital for various
treatment, surgeries and the ultimate amputation of her lower left
leg. Maggie’s treatment included 18 rounds of chemotherapy, 11
surgeries as well as the fitting and physical therapy associated
with her below the knee prosthetic. Although secondary to Maggie’s
health, the out of pocket financial burden over this time would also
add a great deal of stress to our lives.
Throughout these challenging times our entire family was overwhelmed
with the support we received from our community as well as from the
Tinton Falls CURE. It was CURE that contacted us, without request,
regarding an outline of the support available to our family. Our
CURE contact outlined a very simple reimbursement process in the
form of receipts and paperwork assuring this financial support. Our
family learned first hand that help and support would come in many
forms from many different directions.
To our family, The Tinton Falls CURE, is Community!
Let's be honest - most people are ashamed to ask for charity. That is how I felt when my teenage son was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer.
Our world turned upside down. I quit my job in order to care for my son during his three months of chemotherapy treatment followed by surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Because I resigned, I was unable to collect unemployment.
Friends urged me to apply to Tinton Falls C.U.R.E. Inc. for assistance, but I was too proud. However, we were going deeper into debt as the weeks passed.
As anyone who has had a family member with cancer knows, it is a very stressful time, to say the least. The last thing the family needs to worry about at that time is finances.
So, I applied and was approved for assistance from C.U.R.E. The help we received from C.U.R.E. allowed us to focus solely on my son's treatment and care.
My son has been cancer free for 10 years! Today, he is a happy,
healthy 28-year-old who is engaged to be married and is starting his
own business. His future is very bright!
I strongly urge anyone in the community who has a family member
facing a catastrophic medical illness to apply to C.U.R.E. for help.
Don't worry - all inquiries and assistance are kept confidential.
On 9/5/00, my 7 year old son, David, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that only affects about 200 kids a year. It was difficult to hear how sick he was and what was going to happen in the coming days, years and particularly during those first 12 months. But here we are today, David is now preparing to go to college, and he is cancer free. After major surgery, 9 months of chemotherapy, 6 weeks of radiation to his chest, 104 overnight stays in the hospital, 130 blood tests, 20 blood transfusions, 11 platelet transfusions, 125 injections, years of follow up and much more, there has been no sign of cancer.
But this was not just about us and how much we could handle. It was about a community of people and the love and support that helped us get through it. We could not have done it without them. When David was diagnosed, I left my job that first year to care for him which cut our household income in half. This made it impossible for us to keep up with our monthly expenses as well as the additional burden of medical bills. The Tinton Falls C.U.R.E. foundation formed by individuals in our town was there for us to help alleviate the pressure of our financial situation so that we could spend every ounce of our being to care for our son.
The members of this organization are a group of dedicated and passionate people who work incredibly hard through their fundraising efforts and administrative work to be able to help families in our town that are dealing with catastrophic and/or life threatening illnesses. With all that our family had been through, they made it more bearable and to see a community of people pull together for a cause has been a remarkable and overwhelming experience. We could never thank them enough and will always hold them dear to our hearts.
Pat Zilly
In the words of a former C.U.R.E recipient:
"Six years ago I was pregnant, and my husband and I were happily
anticipating the birth of a healthy baby. Our world turned upside
down when our daughter was born 15 weeks premature - weighing 1 lb.
5 oz. She suffered a whole host of complications, which required
eight specialists, eight medications and surgery. In addition, she
had no immunity and could not risk any exposure.
Previously, we were a two income family and I fully expected to
return to work after giving birth. However, I had to take 1 1/2
years off in order to care for and get treatment for my daughter.
The financial assistance provided by the C.U.R.E helped us get
through an "almost impossible" time in our lives.
I am happy to report that my daughter is now a happy, healthy, and
active six-year-old first-grader!"
Thanks for the help!