Help Carmela Fight Stage 4 Cancer

Carmela Contarino (Zappala), a very dear friend of our family, has just been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. As many know, such treatment can be very expensive especially with minimal insurance. Although Carmela has spent her life working hard at many jobs including St. Brendan School and Church, she currently finds herself in need of assistance. Fighting for one’s life is a great burden, and the added anxiety about medical bills creeping around the corner can add to one’s stress and derail healing. Also, the high cost of these treatments will also deplete the funds needed to care for her family. She has three children: one is currently a college student and one has two children. Carmela has always been a great mother to her children and finding herself in a situation where she cannot help support them is not something that such a good mother could stand for.

My siblings and I practically lived at Carmela’s house when we were young and my mother was one of her best friends. She always made us feel like a part of her family. She is the epitome of Italian women- always making sure that everyone was fed and comfortable. She has gone through some tough times, but she came out on the other side a much stronger woman. The fact that she would make such great strides only to hit a wall is heartbreaking. The news of her illness was received with heavy hearts by all of the members of my family.

I implore you to help this wonderful single mother raise money for her treatments as well as some to take care of her family. She has given so much and touched so many lives and now it is our chance to do something for her.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and thank you for any assistance you can provide. Remember that a little can most certainly go a long way.