b'Very Inspiring Person AWARDChildhood Cancer COPING WITH Jo Trizilas childhood illness inspires her to give back so that no family should EVER have to fight alone.BY KARYN BRODSKY Keep your eye out for a woman on a mission to help others, who has a heart of gold, and a will of steel. Jo Trizila of Dallas is a successful public relations entrepreneur, a busy single mom, and a member of the board of directors of Heroes for Children (HFC), a nonprofit organization that helps Texas families with children battling cancer by providing social and financial support.Jos interest in, dedication to, and passion for the cause is deeply personal, as she reflects on her parents struggles during her own serious illness. In 1985, at age 13, Jo was diagnosed with an inoperable brain abscess,anddoctorsperformedemergencybrainsurgery.She spent months in the hospital receiving treatment for the abscess andwhilethere,contractedhepatitis.Afterthehepatitis,Jo developed aplastic anemia from a drug used to treat the brain abscess. Her body ceased making blood cells and was shutting down.Anemergency,experimentalbonemarrowprocedure, with a slim chance of survival was her only hope. Thanks to her younger brother Kevin who was her marrow donor, Jo recovered after spending four to five months in the hospital in isolation. I had no idea what my parents were going through at the time, and as a mother today, I dont know how they faced each day, she says. They had just changed insurance, and the company denied coverage, stating that the abscess was a preexisting condition, and the bone marrow transplant was experimental. As Jo spent her time in critical condition, her parents took shifts staying with her while trying to run their business and care for her younger brother. The medical bills piled up, but a shining light at the end of the tunnel emerged when members of the Trizilas church gave them a check for $5000. Cancer is a terrible disease, and its particularly so when To this day, my parents say that it was like receiving a millionit afflicts an innocent child. I know from experience what dollars, says Jo. I experienced firsthand how the generosity of others impacts a familys life. a hand up can do for a family, says cancer survivor and Due to her bone marrow transplant and the lethal amounts ofHeroes for Children advocate Jo Trizila.chemotherapy she received, Jo was unable to have children. On December 5, 2009, as a single parent, Jo adopted her daughter Katescared or go to work to earn money and make insurance payments. when she was just eight hours old.People shouldnt have to choose. Cancer is a terrible disease, While Jo held Kate for the first time, she heard a voice in herand its particularly so when it afflicts an innocent child, Jo adds. head that said, You always wondered why you survived, and it wasI know from experience what a hand up can do for a family.always so you could be her mom. Since 2004, HFC has donated nearly $6 million to 6,000 families Via her involvement with HFC, Jo says she sees many parentsin need in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, who have to choose whether to stay with their child who is sick andincludingmoneyformortgagepayments,gascards,grocery 14GoodLifeFamilyMag.comNOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019'