b'money, and more. Unfortunately, HFC is also the organization that helps families pay for a funeral when they lose a child. Because Jos a single mom, Kate has tagged along to many HFC evening meetings and follows her mamas example. She donates one-third of her piggy bank contents to HFC, and for the past three years, Kate has asked for no birthday presents. Instead, she asks people to bring a gift card that she can give to a family who has a child battling cancer. This year, we are throwing a dance party for Kates entire grade for her birthday as she has set her biggest goal to date: $5,000, Jo explains. Im so proud of my daughter. Shes only nine years old and what a servants heart she has.Because of what she went through as a child, Jo advocates joining the national bone marrow registry and understands what parents experience when their child is critically ill.Forhercommitmenttoandpassionforhelpingfamiliesof children battling cancer and for setting a shining example to her young daughter, we present Jo Trizila with our Very Inspiring Person award. I had no idea what my parents were goingAt age 13, Jo was diagnosed with an inoperable brain abscess, through at the time, and as a mother today,and doctors performed emergency brain surgery. Thanks to her younger brother Kevin who was her marrow donor, Jo I dont know how they faced each day.recovered after spending four to five months in the hospital in -Jo Trizila isolation. Shown here with Dr. Joe Fay.HeroesforChildren,aTexasnonprofitorganization, provides social and financial support to Texas families that have a child battling cancer. Since 2004, Heroes for Children has given nearly $6 million to 6,000 families. They work with hospitals to identify and provide emergency financial assistance directly to families in need, and are the only organization in the state that helps finance funerals and fertilitypreservation.Becausetheimpactofchildhood cancer is felt by the entire family, they arrange activities for the whole household at events in DFW, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Heroes for Children ensures that no family fights alone.Our Very Inspiring Person Award honors the everyday, and not-so-everyday, heroes in our midst. Those whose tenacity, integrity, and courage inspire others to exemplify the sameDue to her bone marrow transplant and the lethal amounts of character and put their families and community first, in spite ofchemotherapy she received, Jo was unable to have children, but the challenges life has thrown at them. For complete details orin 2009, Jo adopted her daughter Kate when she was just eight to nominate, visit goodLIFEfamilymag.com or emailhours old. While Jo held Kate for the first time, she thought to Tricia@goodlifefamilymag.com. herself, You always wondered why you survived, and it was always so you could be her mom.GoodLifeFamilyMag.comNOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019 15'