Fundraiser Launched To Help Beloved Trumbull Teacher As Daughter Battles Cancer: GoFundMe

TRUMBULL, CT — A fundraiser has been launched to support a beloved Trumbull teacher who has recently stepped away from her classroom following her daughter's cancer diagnosis.

According to the GoFundMe page's description, Marianne D'Amico-Ferrari has taught in Trumbull for nearly 30 years and is a single mom to three children.

Last year, D'Amico-Ferrari's youngest child, Mallory, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma, according to the fundraiser page created by Pam Brushie in late November.

"At the time Mallory was ranked in the top of her high school class, had just gotten her driver's permit, began volunteering at the discovery museum, and was learning to play guitar," the page description reads. "All that came to a sudden stop. Instead of starting her junior year of high school, Mallory immediately began chemotherapy at Yale New Haven Hospital."

Though her family remained hopeful Mallory would be in remission after extensive treatments, her cancer returned and she later underwent a bone marrow transplant, requiring her and her mother to spend 24 days in a hospital, according to the GoFundMe page.

As part of her continued treatment, Mallory will resume chemotherapy for the next year and must attend multiple appointments that require her mom to be present.

Due to this and her daughter being "very susceptible to germs," D'Amico-Ferrari has taken a leave of absence from work, according to the page description.

"By Jan. 1, Marianne will have exhausted all of her sick and personal days and her FMLA, Family Medical Leave Act, will run out," the page reads. "In addition to being without monthly income, Marianne, who is a single mom, will be required to pay $3,900 a month to keep her health insurance. Up to this point Marianne has used all of her own resources and all of her money has been exhausted. Her family is in need of help since there are not any government benefits available to help the family in this situation."

As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe page has received over 600 donations and raised nearly $46,500 toward a $60,000 goal.

Those who wish to donate to the page can do so here.