by Kristen Kucharski
LILY SOLFA OF BATAVIA HAS INSPIRED AN ARMY OF LOCAL FRIENDS & FAMILY
"Her Fight Is My Fight" #teamlily
Like most, 2020 has been a challenging year for the Solfa family.
By mid-summer, the year had already been one hell of a ride for Rotolo Middle Schooler and Batavia resident, Lily Solfa (13). Notwithstanding the fact that COVID-19 had wreaked havoc on the world, Lily was also hit with Influenza A and B, Appendicitis, Strep Throat and then also received the devastating news of stage two Hodgkin's Lymphoma on July 15, 2020.
Lily’s treatment plan was executed fast and furious since one of her infected nodes was wrapping around her windpipe. The treatment started before Lily and her family could even take a breath.
The Solfa Family
“In a nutshell, this cancer is treated by killing it, not by shrinking it, through several rounds of chemo and possible radiation,” Lily’s mom, Meredith says.
As a middle schooler, Lily was used to playing travel soccer for TCSA and having a very active social life, but Cancer combined with COVID-19 has made socializing extremely tough, as well as quite lonely at times. Sadly, her sisters, Chloe (16) and Laura (10), parents, relatives, and friends are unable to join her in the hospital or clinic for appointments, and visits are kept short and distant.
The community has rallied around the family to radiate positivity and help lessen the financial burden. Since the purple is the support color for Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Tommy Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Screen Printing & Embroidery in Geneva, printed purple t-shirts for Team Lily expressively stating, “Her Fight is My Fight” with 100% of the proceeds donated to research and to help pay for hair extensions once Lily’s hair begins to grow back.
The Solfa family is so grateful for the army of family, friends, and neighbors that have helped them get through each day with meal trains, small gifts, cheerful notes, flowers, and kind gestures such as tying purple ribbon around neighborhood trees in support.
“Organizations like Cals Angels deserve a huge shout out from us,” Meredith says. “They are local in St. Charles and have given so much warmth, care, and love from day one, even before we even met them. They are truly amazing! Bear Necessities in Chicago is another great organization that has helped us with groceries, gas, etc. and we have also been working with Make a Wish Foundation, but everything is so different due to COVID-19.”
Don’t miss the next opportunity to show your support for the Solfa family by heading to Crusade Burger in Yorkville the week of September 21, 2020 for a one-of-a-kind Cancer Sucks Shake especially made just for Lily.
Bring a smile, have a shake, support the Solfas!
