CELEBRATING over 100 years of being part of the fabric of Newtownards, the Cafolla family hopes to raise funds for a charity close to their hearts.
During September Cafolla’s on Regent Street will be marking over 100 years of their family living and trading in the town by raising money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI (LLNI).
The charity has a special place in the heart of Michael Cafolla, owner of Cafolla’s on Regent Street, having witnessed the amazing work the charity does first-hand, when his son Thomas took ill back in 2017, aged 21.
Thomas had travelled to London to study hospitality and was on a placement when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“He had lost weight before he went and he wasn’t looking great, and we just thought he was 21 and partying too much,” Michael recalled.
Thomas had only been in London a few weeks when he noticed a few lumps appeared on his neck, causing him concern.
Michael added that his son had been particularly tired also, but with new early rises forming part of his placement, his parents joked it was ‘a culture shock’ due to 6am starts. Looking back, Michael noted that weight loss is one of the key symptoms of blood cancers, as well as night sweats and fatigue.
Following up on concerns, Thomas’s mother Marie travelled to London and brought him to be seen by a doctor.
He was sent to University College Hospital in London, where he received his diagnosis.
Michael said: “We were thrown into a world of not knowing anything about blood cancers or lymphoma. We didn’t even know lymphoma was a cancer at that stage.
“We were told at the start it is one of the ‘good cancers’ to get, but we found out later there isn’t a ‘good one’ to get.” Thomas returned home to have treatment in the City Hospital in Belfast and began a course of chemotherapy, however it soon became evident that treatment wasn’t working and that Thomas was resistant to chemotherapy.
It was at this stage it also became clear he would need a stem cell transplant.
Thomas underwent various treatments in the interim and was finally in remission while on the hunt for a donor.
A ‘perfect match’ donor was found in America and hope was brimming for the family but unfortunately the donor failed a medical test.
While searching for another donor, Thomas’s cancer broke through the treatment and time became of the essence. Luckily Thomas received a treatment which helped him get back into remission and ready for transplant and another donor, from Germany, was found.
Thomas returned to London for his stem cell transplant in January 2019.
Michael added that Thomas’s donor was anonymous and although they had tried to reach out to thank them for saving his son’s life, he was unable to make contact.
He also noted how his son had his transplant on January 23, which was also his brother’s birthday, who died from a blood cancer in 1993.
Thomas progressed well with his transplant and has been in good health since.
Michael, who now sits on the board of trustees for LLNI, regularly fundraises for the charity and plans to support the charity’s Crimson Ball next month.
September marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and in celebrating over 100 years of their Italian rooted family living and trading in Newtownards, Michael is raising funds all month for the charity.
“We are always mindful when we do these sorts of campaigns that other young people at the time who had transplants, haven’t had a positive outcome,” Michael said.
“So part of raising the money is that we feel we have a responsibility that the more we can do to raise awareness, the more we can give young people a better chance of a positive outcome.”
Thanking the Cafolla family for their fundraising efforts, Tanya Mayne, fundraising manager at LLNI, said: “The Cafolla family have been long-term supporters of the charity, raising thousands over the years and dedicated to raising awareness of this prevalent cancer that is diagnosed in three new people every day here in NI.
“With the family’s personal experience of lymphoma, they know first-hand the importance of access to clinical trials for novel treatment options.
“Their fundraising this month, alongside our charity’s gala The Crimson Ball and Halloween Blood Run next month, will fund a Clinical Trials Nurse post at Belfast City Hospital, to ensure patients in Northern Ireland can access the newest potentially life-saving treatments.”
Charity buckets will be available all month in the café, along with special promotions and fundraising activities to mark their 100 year anniversary, including an ice cream bike and tiramisu stall at the Saturday Market on September 26.
The family also plan to wind back the clock on their traditional breakfast fry, bringing the cost back to their opening price of £1.50, on September 15 in celebration of World Lymphoma Awareness Day.
Further details can be found instore and on their Facebook page.
To donate visit: https://www. justgiving.com/page/cafollas- giving-back-llni?utm_medium=
