Nicks Fight

Our beloved friend and co-worker, Pam Tonini was given life-altering news last Thursday evening after an unexpected trip to the emergency room with her son turned into a diagnosis that is going to change their lives forever.. As parents, these are the scenarios that we pray we never find ourselves in and Pam is in the thick of it.

Pam’s 17 year old son, Nick - a senior at Butler Senior High School, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Germ Cell Cancer, and his team of health care providers, Pam, Nick, his younger brother (Alex), and their entire family have a long road ahead of them. There is no way of knowing when life will return to a semblance of normalcy. Pam is a single mother and is navigating this new development while trying to find her footing on this shaky ground. She is the first one there for anyone who asks anything of her, whether it’s a blanket for a new baby she hand-made, or simply an ear to listen. We are asking for help from the community to pull together for her and Nick so that in addition to the worry that comes with a diagnosis like this she doesn’t have to worry about how she will pay her day to day living expenses. The expense in gas to travel every day from Pittsburgh to Butler and back, to food, to parking, to rent/utilities/supporting her youngest son, etc.

We are asking not only for your prayers and healing energy, but also for everyone to help her to navigate through this new normal financially. She is not able to work because- like any mother- she doesn’t want to leave Nick’s side through this, nor should she have to. She will want and need to be at every doctor meeting, every treatment, every discussion about treatments taking notes - understanding every step of this process hoping to heal her baby. Any help you could provide would go a long way to easing the financial hurdles she will inevitably encounter in the weeks and months to come while she cares for Nick in his battle to recovery. All donations go straight to Pamela.