When Justine Holmes has a tough day raising her 8-month-old daughter, Bella Jo, she looks to the example of her cousin-in-law, Stefanie Cortazzo.
Cortazzo of Penn Township is a stay-at-home mom to five boys, ranging from ages 3 to 16. She’s never missed one of their sporting events, Holmes said — whether it be basketball, football or soccer.
“Stefanie is very much somebody that if I was having a rough day with (Bella), I would calm down and compose myself and say ‘You know what, if Stefanie can handle this with five kids, I can handle this with her,’” said Holmes, of Penn Township.
When Holmes and her sister-in-law, Tonya Holmes, learned that Cortazzo was diagnosed with breast cancer, they knew they had to do something to help.
Tonya, a local fitness coach, will host a workout class benefiting Cortazzo’s family, and Justine is organizing a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.
“I’d do it 10 times over if I had to for her,” Justine said. “She’s been there so much for us that I’d do anything for her.”
The spaghetti dinner will be held Feb. 8 at the Level Green Fire Hall, Justine said.
The 30-minute strength-based workout class will be held Jan. 18 at Level Up Fitness in Penn Township. All proceeds will support the Cortazzo family, said Tonya, owner of prenatal and postpartum coaching business TH Fitness.
“This kind of inspired me to do something every month this year,” said Tonya, of Penn Township. “I’m going to try to do a benefit for somebody once a month now.”
Justine and Tonya’s goal is to raise $15,000 for Cortazzo and her husband, Matt.
“They found out they have to pay $15,000 out of pocket,” Justine said, “so I said ‘Well, our new goal is to reach that so they don’t have to worry about that cost.”
Community members have also organized a meal train for the Cortazzos — purchasing gift cards, giving donations and signing up to make a meal for the family on a particular day.
Cortazzo completed her second chemotherapy treatment last week and has three more to go, Justine said. She is receiving the 8-hour-long treatments every three weeks. Doctors have estimated the treatment process will take about 6 months.
Cortazzo was diagnosed the day before Thanksgiving, just weeks after her 40th birthday, Tonya said.
“I’m hopeful for her,” she said. “It’s just upsetting that she has to go through it.”
