Three friends in Addison Township have come together to help fulfill a dying mother’s last wish for her family.
‘I think that any parent, any person, who hears this story ? it just breaks your heart,? said friend Lisa Scribner. ‘I wanted to help and do whatever I could.?
On Jan. 23, Audrey Tenaglia, a 42-year-old wife and mother of four Oxford students, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. It has since spread to 80 percent of her liver and the bottom portion of both lungs.
Although her condition’s considered terminal, friends and family are holding out hope that some experimental treatments she’ll be starting at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center will help.
While they can’t do anything for her medically, Scribner and friends Laura Wiseman and Evelyn Pickwick are trying to make Tenaglia’s dream of taking her children to Disney World in Florida a reality.
‘Make a memory for them ? that’s what we’re trying to do,? Wiseman said. ‘She’s a good friend and she needs help. She has a wish so let’s try to grant it for her.?
Tenaglia’s family includes her husband of 15 years, Mike, and children ? Silvana and Serafina, who are in the second and fifth grades, respectively, at Leonard Elementary; Glenn (or ‘Vinnie? to his friends), a seventh-grader at Oxford Middle School; and Rocco, a freshman at Oxford High School.
‘To be able to do this for her kids, especially the youngest, they’ll have a memory for the rest of their lives,? Pickwick said. ‘What better gift can we give her.?
Tenaglia said she’d like to spend some time with her family, so they’ll remember her looking ‘healthy and happy.?
This kind of trip would also help her kids ‘just relax and let some steam out.?
‘They’ve been dealing with a lot.?
Thanks to the Orlando, Florida-based Memories of Love Foundation ? which grants wishes to families with parents battling a life-threatening illness ? the accommodations (for six days and five nights), tickets for Disney World’s theme parks, some meals and $200 toward gas and parking have already been secured.
However, money is still needed for airline tickets, a rental car and some spending cash.
That’s why Pickwick, Wiseman and Scribner have set up an account at Oxford Bank called ‘The Audrey Tenaglia Fund.? Donations can be made at any of the bank’s eight local branches.
‘I know that times are hard, but even $5 will make a difference,? Wiseman said.
‘She’s an amazing person with a kind heart,? Pickwick said. ‘If it was somebody else in this situation, she’d be the first in line to do it for them.?
‘I’m a little embarrassed that they’re going so overboard, but I very much appreciate it,? Tenaglia said.
Two local fund-raising events have also been organized.
The first is a pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ, corner of Hovey and Dennison streets in the Village of Oxford (one block west of Starbucks).
For $5 each, patrons can enjoy a delicious old-fashioned all-you-can-eat breakfast of fluffy pancakes, tasty sausage, ice-cold milk, orange juice and piping hot coffee while helping a good cause.
The pancake breakfast will also feature a bake sale, returnable bottle/can drive and a silent raffle. All proceeds to benefit the Tenaglia fund.
The second fund-raiser will take place at Red Knapp’s American Grill on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 10 p.m., the downtown Oxford restaurant will donate 20 percent of patrons? lunch and dinner bills to Tenaglia’s fund whenever a special coupon/flyer is presented or the fund-raiser is mentioned to the server.
The ladies are hoping to raise at least $3,000 to send Tenaglia and her family to Disney World. ‘We’ve got some great people in the community and I know if a lot of people pitched in, we could make a dream come true for her,? Scribner said.
‘I’m just overwhelmed,? Tenaglia said. ‘I never expected this kind of support and outpouring from people. They’ve been right there whether I’ve asked or not. I’m not the kind to ask.?
From the rides people give her children to the meals fellow Leonard mothers prepare for her family, Tenaglia said, ‘This community has been wonderful. I just don’t know how I’d do it without them.?
Because the family is struggling financially ? Tenaglia hasn’t been able to work and the experimental treatments at Karmanos aren’t covered by insurance ? Scribner, Pickwick and Wiseman are hoping some of the money raised could also be used to help pay household and medical expenses.
‘We’re going to keep going until we reach our goal,? Wiseman said. ‘If we get more than ($3,000), all the better.?
Unfortunately, due to the seriousness of Tengalia’s condition, no one’s sure exactly how much time she has left, so the ladies are hoping to raise a lot of money in a short amount of time so she can make the trip.
‘I’m hoping she’ll be well enough for the trip,? Pickwick said. ‘We need to move as quickly as we can.?
Tenaglia told her doctors she doesn’t want to know how much time she has left. ‘I don’t want to hear I’ve got three months,? she said. ‘They have indicated there’s not a lot of time unless this experimental stuff works.?
Tenaglia said right now she has good and bad days, ups and downs. ‘One day you’re really sick and can’t get off the couch or eat. The next day you feel a little bit better.?
Pickwick is particularly anxious to help Tenaglia and her family given how much cancer has taken from her already.
‘I’ve lost two close friends to cancer and I wasn’t able to help them,? she said. ‘This is my third friend to have cancer. I’m not going to let her down.?
The ladies can think of no one more deserving of the community’s help right now than Audrey Tenaglia.
‘She’s the kind of person who doesn’t want to put anybody out,? Wiseman said. ‘She’s worried about everybody else. She’s very giving, very sweet. Always busy, always going, always doing things for other people.?
‘As sick as she is even now, she still asks, ‘Can I help you??? Pickwick said.
To learn more about The Audrey Tenaglia Fund contact Laura Wiseman (248-969-6017, laurawsmn@aol.com), Evelyn Pickwick (248-388-4289, ejpickwick@aol.com) or Lisa Scribner (248-969-9272, lscribner@att.net).