Help the Stefan Family to Fight Cancer
Donation protected
Purpose: Raising funds for a loving husband and father of 5. He has cancer, is an immigrant with a green card, and is impoverished.
In 2017, I met the Stefan family through friends at church. As a long-time visitor to their home, it is a joy for me to experience the family wonderful affection, kindness and gentleness with each other. I’m starting a Go Fund Me for this beautiful family because I have come to know them well, and I believe our GoFundMe community can provide critical financial support that will allow them to heal, grow, and thrive in this country that they have grown to love. They face unique challenges that I describe below. I invite you to join with me in walking alongside this family and providing concretely for their needs. Financial support would specifically help mitigate the cost of rising rent and the cost of medical care due to a cancer diagnosis.
Green Card:
Stefan and his wife, Mona-Lisa, applied for asylum 11 years ago. They fled Romania where they experienced intense persecution and discrimination. (See Footnotes: Genocide Watch, Amnesty International, and WW2Museum.) Finally, in 2025 they received their Green Cards. This has been life changing.
Cancer:
Earlier this month, Stefan had his first colonoscopy. He was diagnosed with colon cancer. At end of this month, he will go to the Swedish Cancer Institute to plan for surgery. He told me that colon cancer is the disease that ended his father's life. As always, Stefan showed the optimism that keeps him alive: his belief that after this next trial, he will be fine.
Finances:
Stefan earns money by playing his accordion for tips with some help from friends or my church. He and his wife have very little education due to the discrimination against Roma, who were excluded from jobs and even towns. On several occasions my church’s Deacon’s Fund has aided Stefan, this year with $1000, their allowable maximum, which prevented the family from being evicted from their home.
The family’s financial struggles are severe. Mr. Stefan's rent has gone up 25% in the last 2 years, when a developer bought several large apartment complexes in his town. Through his charisma, he tries to make ends meet by playing an accordion for tips. His daughter Rebecca has a neurological muscular issue, and for years, Stefan has had to be available to take her to treatments several times a week and 45 minutes away, which prevented him from holding down a job. His dream now is to drive an Uber. He is an excellent driver. We intend to apply for a Free Charity Car through https://freecharitycars.org, but we do not know the likelihood of him ever receiving a car.
School:
This year, with a Green Card, for the first time in their lives, Mr. Stefan has had the courage to enroll his children in school. Mr. Stefan’s fears of school here are common among any immigrant fearing deportation who has been traumatized in his country of origin. The local social worker told me that he was probably smart not to send them without a Green Card. This represents a totally different perspective from the school personnel who assured us that they would be safe. Both boys have taught themselves to read.
The boys are excited and hopeful about attending school. They love their first backpacks! When the school registrar told them they could also play soccer through the local YMCA, they were overjoyed.
Josef has found the courage to go to school. Renardo, 12, interprets for the rest of the family. His maturity and dignity are evident. He has wanted to go to school for a very long time. I have very high hopes for him!
Pictures: (L to R)
In the first pictures, you see the Stefan family celebrating their first Halloween in 2016 with friends and Rebecca, the younger of their two older daughters. Both daughters are now both married.
2) A family picture was taken in 2025 by a neighbor in their home.
Jake, 4, is seen in this picture.
3) Josef, 11
4) Renardo, 12
5) Mona Lisa, wife and mother.
More pictures to follow.
How donations will be used:
Donations will help to pay for back rent, utilities, phone, car repairs, school clothes, and possibly a more reliable car.
How donations are transferred:
The donations go into a special account created by Kristine Champagne, the fundraiser, a Clinical Social Worker who has sometimes acted as a Trustee for recipients of SSI and SSDI. This separate account is recommended by GoFundMe for recipient who have struggles with bookkeeping and computers. After being recorded, the money is transferred to Mr. Stefan's own personal account.
Changes in the Goal Amount:
The goal amount was lowered to $5000 so that the software will allow donations a low as $5.00. If the need turns out to be greater than that, and we are nearing $5000, which we expect, the goal will be raised. Thank you for donating!
Donations:
The donations go into a special account created by Kristine Champagne, the fundraiser, a Clinical Social Worker who has sometimes acted as a Trustee for recipients of SSI and SSDI. This separate account is recommended by GoFundMe for recipient who have struggles with bookkeeping and computers. After being recorded, the money is transferred to Mr. Stefan's own personal account.
Changes in the Goal Amount:
The goal amount was lowered to $5000 so that the software will allow donations a low as $5.00. If the need turns out to be greater than that, and we are nearing $5000, which we expect, the goal will be raised. Thank you for donating!
Changes in the Goal Amount:
The goal amount has been lowered to $5000 so that the software will allow donations a low as $5.00. If the need turns out to be greater, as expected, the goal will be raised. Thank you for donating!
Assistance is needed with overdue rent, car repairs, utilities, school clothes, and possibly much more depending on Mr. Stefan's health.
Notes:
Stage 3: Discrimination and Stage 4: Dehumanization.
Romanians commonly believe that Roma are “dirty” or “criminal.” Due to systematic discrimination against them, many Roma are impoverished. The Roma face continuing marginalization, as well as mob violence in sporadic deadly attacks by Romanian citizens and police. Government officials seldom prosecute perpetrators… Over the centuries, the Roma have faced persecution and discrimination across Europe. Between the 1300s and 1848, the Roma were enslaved in Romania. During WWII, approximately 500,000 Roma throughout Europe were killed in the Holocaust.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/04/roma-in-europe-11-things-you-always-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-to-ask/
Organizer
Kristine Champagne
Organizer
Everett, WA