PJ Tampa Bay Story Winner of the Week

Here is the winner of this weeks story contest for PJ Tampa Bay:

From: Robyn Huber

TAMPA, FL – The 1Voice Foundation, a non-profit charity dedicated to supporting children with cancer and their families, is working with the Hillsborough County School District to open the 1Voice Academy, the first school in the United State for children with cancer.

The Foundation is kicking off its $5 million capital funding campaign with an open house at the Home Theater Gallery, 3300 S. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, on Thursday, March 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. “Children on treatment who miss school fall behind academically and resent their disease and the alienation it causes even more,” said Mary Ann Massolio, the Executive Director of 1Voice Foundation whose own son passed away from cancer. “Plus, many parents have to miss work to stay home with them. This can lead to financial devastation and add to the 80% divorce rate that parents of chronically-ill children face. The 1Voice Academy will provide children with a safe learning environment while their immune systems are compromised, such as in the 7 to 10 days following chemotherapy.”

“I always have to be vigilant about whether there is a flu or strep going around school,” said Natalie Willis, whose daughter, Mandy, was diagnosed with cancer when she was 7. “Mandy had to miss a lot of days even though she felt well, but she couldn’t risk coming into contact with a sick child. The truth is some parents send their kids to school even with a low fever or other signs of infection.”

“One of the greatest challenges we faced with Daniel were his counts were horrible, but otherwise he felt good,” said Holly Wade, whose 9-year-old son passed away from cancer. “My choice was to have him homebound, and he missed being around people his own age and his own friends. With this Academy, kids can be around classmates who aren’t going to look at you funny because you’re bald, or because you have to get up and throw up, or have an IV bag hanging off of you or a shunt. It’s an opportunity to make these kids feel as normal as possible in the most abnormal conditions you can imagine.”

Holly and her husband, Capt. Bill Wade with Tampa Fire Rescue, will be among the families on hand at the open house.

In addition to offering classes, the 1Voice Academy will offer after-school programs for tutoring, art and music, and will provide support groups and programs for parents and siblings.

About 1Voice Foundation 
The 1Voice Foundation began in 2008 when six members of the Tampa Bay community – each having prior experience with pediatric cancer programs – realized organizations focused on research and organizations focused on assisting families were competing for dollars instead of working together. The 1Voice Foundation’s Executive Director is MaryAnn Massolio, who was the executive director of the Children’s Cancer Center for 10 years and who knows firsthand what it’s like when your child is diagnosed with cancer. In addition to researching cures for cancer, The 1Voice Foundation provides resources and support groups for patients and their families, outings for children with cancer, scholarships, and funeral assistance. The non-profit organization currently does not receive any state or federal funding and is dependent on corporate and private donations.

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