Community Corner

Family Touched by Leukemia Needs Help Buying a Car

Help area residents in need through GoFundMe.

A Massapequa family is looking to raise funds for a car after the mother of a young child diagnosed with Leukemia had to stop working to care for the girl.

Jo-Ann Leary Annunziato started the campaign to raise $4,000. As of Thursday morning they've raised $1,070.

The Page reads: 

In March of 2012, Jim and Jo-Ann's then youngest child, Maya, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Maya was just 2 at the time. 
Since her diagnosis, Maya has undergone numerous rounds of chemotherapy, bone marrow aspirations, and has regular spinal taps. Her treatment has been difficult and there have been many ups and downs. Obviously, Maya's diagnosis and treatment have had a huge emotional impact on her and her family. It has taken a significant financial toll as well though. 

Shortly after diagnosis, Jo-Ann stopped working so that she could care for Maya full time. As a result, the family had to live on less income. They tried to cut their living expenses as much as possible. One thing they decided to do without was a second car. Getting rid of one car meant one less bill. 

Maya, now four, is completing her longest and final round of treatment. During this round of treatment, Jo-Ann is returning to work in an attempt to help cover some of the costs associated with Maya's treatment and the bills that have accumulated over the last year and a half. The problem with this of course is that the family only has one car. This makes it difficult for Maya to get to treatment, or to get Maya to the hospital/oncologist's office in an emergency. 

The family appreciates any and all contributions, no matter how small. If you have the means and desire to help, we hope that you will consider contributing.

For more on how you can help, you can click here.   


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