Help Patricia & her boys afford life after losing Dad

“The News Couldn’t Be Worse”

This is Francesco and his young family. Facing an uncertain economic future in Italy and with Metrolinx seeking Francesco's professional skills in rail engineering, the family moved to Toronto in February 2023. Four short months later, a terminal cancer diagnosis turned their world upside-down.

A plea for help

Francesco, his wife Patricia, and two young boys moved from Italy to Toronto in February 2023. Francesco's extensive rail engineering experience had been sought to assist with Toronto’s public transit expansion. Patricia gave up her job in Italy to support her husband's career and provide her boys stability as they transitioned to a new life in Canada. An apparently healthy young man with a young family, they had a bright future. A mere four months after their arrival, Francesco went to the Emergency Department for stomach pain and was painfully delivered the news: stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma in his lungs, liver, and likely elsewhere. He was given perhaps 11 months to live*. This unexpected nightmare has left the family reeling – emotionally and financially.

This life-altering diagnosis had ripple effects for the family: Patricia was unable to pursue full-time employment while managing all parenting, household upkeep, medical advocacy and too many medical appointments to count.

Even worse, Francesco didn’t have time to procure Canadian life insurance prior to falling ill, and life insurance is not customary in Italy.

Patricia will bear the brunt of solo parenting two young boys with no nearby family. With rising inflation and recently-introduced tariffs, the upcoming costs seem to be ever-growing.

Returning to Italy was never an option: Francesco's cancer didn't respond to first-line chemotherapy and so, for a period of time, was taking a tumor-specific clinical trial* drug only available so long as he stayed on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, with private medical insurance covering most (but not all) of the costs. As such, Francesco continued to work despite the cancer and associated gut-wrenching medical treatments. His work was also the only way to assure his family of their ability to remain in their Toronto home. Patricia has pivoted as quickly as she could, restarting her consulting work and taking maternity leave coverage contracts where she could.

Patricia and Francesco’s boys were 3 and 5 years old when their father was diagnosed; they are now approaching 5 and 7 years old. Francesco worked incredibly hard to secure his family’s future, but the costs throughout treatment have mounted (specialized tests, emergency childcare when they had to take off to the hospital, and more), and the transition for Patricia to become the sole breadwinner is not insignificant.

This resilient couple has made it through a very challenging time with gratitude for all that they do have, and pride in learning the Canadian way of life (including hockey, which their kids LOVE).

Francesco will not be able to share in the joy and challenges of raising his children, but he and Patricia have sought the best path to minimize trauma to the boys following their father's passing. The child psychologist has made it clear that keeping life as much the same as possible should be the priority - same friends, same school, same neighbourhood. Staying in place will provide the best stability and support for the children with close neighbourly friendships and parental support – but having this option available requires financial resources in the very near future.

There are three areas requiring significant financial support: 1) short-term support for medical costs and related that will be borne of the life-extending treatment that Francesco is pursuing to give his boys as much time with their father as possible; 2) mid-term support so that the family can remain in Toronto once Francesco is unable to work and further, so that Patricia and the boys can remain in their neighbourhood/school district for the time following Francesco’s passing; and 3) long-term support so that Patricia and the boys do not fall into poverty.

Francesco is my neighbour. When we first met, I was struck by his kind, soft-spoken nature, and by what a loving father and doting husband he is. This diagnosis and the circumstances surrounding the situation are tragic – I cannot put my feelings into words. Your donation – large or small – will make a significant positive difference in this family’s life. Thank you for your generosity.

More about Francesco and his family

Francesco and Patricia have a love story spanning fourteen years; they met in Florence, Francesco’s hometown, when Patricia had just finished a tour in East Africa with the Peace Corps. Their romance unfolded like a movie; the couple welcomed their first son in 2018, and their second son in mid-2020. The family of four enjoyed a quiet and simple lifestyle in their small Florentine flat. Life was comfortable enough, but Francesco and Patricia wanted to provide long-term stability for their children and his European rail experience was tangibly sought in Toronto.

This expertise in railway engineering landed him an important role leading a team on part of a massive metropolitan train infrastructure development plan for the Greater Toronto Area. This role brought the family to Toronto specifically, and while Francesco was employed and working, assured them of the ability to be able to live reasonably in what is otherwise a largely overpriced city. Patricia ramped down her strategic consulting business to care for their young boys and support her husband in his career. Everything seemed to have worked out: the boys were settling into their respective classrooms, and everyone was enjoying exploring their new city.

April showers rolled around, bringing Spring to Toronto, but along with the change in weather, came a change in Francesco’s health: he started to experience stomach pain and gastrointestinal disturbances. Not one to cry wolf, Francesco assured Patricia: the stress of moving countries, a new job, and differences in food ingredients between Italy and Canada could all be contributing. He gave up coffee and tried to re-instate self-care at the gym, but to no apparent avail – the symptoms worsened, rapidly. Testing was sought, and after a concerning ultrasound, it became apparent that something was seriously amiss. On a hot day in early June, Francesco and Patricia were given the devastating news: Francesco had an aggressive stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, with metastases in his lungs and liver, primary tumour unidentified. He was given 11 months to live. Significant advocacy by Patricia, genetic sequencing, and clinical trial drugs have managed to give him 20 months with his family - but no treatments remain, the tumours are no longer responding, and his body is slowly losing function. Please help the family during this scary and stressful time.