Sandra Yvonne Adams Vezina
The Tony Foundation provides financial assistance to families whose primary income earners have been diagnosed with cancer and are unable to continue employment. I can’t imagine an initiative my mom, Sandra Yvonne Adams Vezina, would appreciate more.
While she died of ovarian/brain cancer, this does not – could not – define this amazing mother, sister, grandmother, wife, & businesswoman.
To say she was a woman ahead of her time is an understatement. At 21, she moved from Dallas to Chicago to travel the world working for Braniff Airlines. At 25, she bought her first Merle Norman franchise, inside the loop in Chicago (as a single woman). At 26, she bought her second, successfully selling both in her early 30’s, when she moved into the second phase of her career: motherhood.
My mom was seemingly everywhere: PTA, soccer mom, Den Mother, you name it, she – and her infectious energy and positivity – were there. I loved every minute of it.
While managing my Dad, sister and me was a full-time job, my mom never stopped nurturing her entrepreneurial spirit. She somehow found the time to serve as the Financial Director for Gilbert Motors, and when she tired of that, was a financial advisor for Wadell &Reed.
You can’t talk about my mom though, without mentioning her friendships. She was fiercely loyal, a force of nature, as energetic as she was empathetic. While few could keep up with her, she had time for all. She cherished, and invested heavily in, her relationships.
These characteristics – an entrepreneurial spirit, a love of family, a dedication to friends, are embodied by the Tony Foundation. There’s more information on its mission below, but on the 19th anniversary of my mom’s passing, I’d be honored if you’d consider making a donation of any amount, in her memory.
How Tony Foundation Helps
The Tony Foundation provides direct financial assistance for families whose primary income earners, in their most productive years, have been diagnosed with cancer and are unable to continue employment. According to oncology professionals, income is the #1 need for the majority of patients and their families during the toughest battle of their lives. We seek to Make an Impact on these patients by helping to eliminate this financial burden so the patient can focus on what's most important, their health and their family.
Our founder, Tony Laudadio, faced this very predicament – first, when he was diagnosed in his 20's, with renal cell carcinoma – and again, two years later, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer (completely unrelated to the renal cancer). He understands the struggle of facing a sudden battery of tests, treatments and surgeries, while being unable to continue his career due to cancer. Immediate expenses pile up quick, adding to an already intense level of stress and worry.
(Below) A Few of the 100 families we have helped because of our donors' generosity..
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELPING US CHANGE LIVES!!
