The Joe Andruzzi Foundation (JAF), providing help for New England cancer patients and their families by providing financial support, has received a $14,696 donation from Steve Destefano, a former patient recipient from Meriden, Connecticut.
This donation was raised through a dart tournament organized by Destefano and his wife Sue, in gratitude to the foundation for the help received during Steve’s cancer treatment. On Wednesday, July 10, Destefano presented the check at JAF’s headquarters in North Attleborough, marking a significant contribution to the foundation’s mission of providing financial support to cancer patients and their families.
“Steve’s journey and his generous act of paying it forward are truly inspiring,” said Joe Andruzzi, co-founder and chief engagement officer of the foundation. “His donation will directly impact the lives of many other cancer patients and their families, helping us to provide the financial support they desperately need. Steve and Sue are wonderful examples of paying it forward.”
Destefano, a patient of the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at MidState Medical Center, was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in September 2021. He has undergone four cycles of R-EPOCH chemotherapy and has been unable to work since Sept. 3 of that year. During his treatment, JAF provided financial assistance, helping with insurance, electric bills and food.
“Having experienced firsthand the much-needed support from the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, I wanted to find a way to give back,” said Steve. “Organizing the dart tournament was my way of saying thank you and ensuring that other patients can receive the same help and hope that I did.”
The Joe Andruzzi Foundation helps New Englanders battling cancer through a variety of programs. Since its start, the foundation has granted over $10 million to more than 40,000 cancer patients across New England to help ease the pressure of household expenses. To learn more about the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, please visit: www.joeandruzzifoundation.org.
