LETTER: Third Annual Lia DiFronzo Memorial Benefit

To The Editor:

On July 26, 2012 my family and I will be holding the Third annual Lia DiFronzo Memorial Benefit at the Tewksbury Country Club to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (see attached flier).

Lia’s Army, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk team will be supporting this event in Lia’s memory.  This will be a family event with a DJ, dancing, silent auction, opportunity drawings (raffles) and door prizes.  All proceeds from this event are to go directly to the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  We would like to ask for any assistance you may be able to provide in order to make this a successful event.

  She began playing baseball in the tee-ball years and then moved to softball.  She also loved to play soccer and hockey where she managed to play in her first game and scored her first goal only six months after her first Bone Marrow Transplant.  In May of 2006, Lia was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia.  For 2.5 years she fought on battling this disease.

During this time she received two Bone Marrow Transplants, the first one from her older brother (8 yrs old at that time).   Like many cancer patients she also received heavy chemotherapy and radiation, and lost her hair and strength to do most of the activities and sports she loved to do.  But she made the most of every day and worked hard to enjoy the things she could like music, arts and crafts and playing games.  In 2007, courtesy of the Jimmy Fund, Lia had the opportunity to meet Tim Wakefield and throw out the first pitch of the game.  It was the thrill of her life.  In 2007 and 2008, Lia was also a Pedal Partner for the John Hancock PMC team in which the team captain took Lia to her first Patriots game.   As a Pedal Partner, she provided inspiration to the riders as they did same to her, giving her the strength and courage to endure.  However, despite her will to live and survive, her little body could not maintain the strength needed to conquer this terrible disease.  She died on October 6, 2008, only eight years old and a life time cut much too short.

Lia fought hard to beat her cancer but unfortunately did not prevail.  However, we have vowed to continue her fight in an effort to conquer cancer.  Our hope is that no one will have to go through what Lia went through which is why we decided to hold this event.   I hope you will be able to assist us in making our fundraising event a successful one.

Sincerely,

Laura DiFronzo

Tewksbury