Kathy Campanella admits she was feeling pretty defeated a few weeks ago. Campanella has been battling cancer for the past seven years, and the corresponding treatments have taken a toll on her ability to walk. The steep steps that lead to the front door of her Moorestown home were becoming increasingly difficult to climb safely, so she was looking into some sort of ramp or lift to build over them. But between her treatments and insufficient help from her insurance company, she wasn’t sure how she was going to finance it.
That’s when someone who was practically a stranger intervened. Fellow Moorestown resident Danielle South, who’d only met Campanella once prior, offered to start an online crowdfunding campaign to get Campanella the lift. In a mere seven days, the campaign exceeded its goal, and for Campanella, the response underscored just how supportive her local community can be in times of strife.
Campanella was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in October 2011. By January 2014, the cancer had metastasized to her bones, and in January 2015, the disease spread to her brain. She’s endured her fair share of treatments from chemotherapy to radiation and a craniotomy. She said she’s always dealt with the treatments well, but about seven months ago she woke up one day and couldn’t walk.
She’d undergone radiation a few months prior and just started a new round of chemotherapy, so doctors weren’t certain which treatment was causing the issue, but either way, she couldn’t move her legs.
Her doctors put her on a round of steroids and a few other medications, and after a bit of a time, she was using a walker to get around. The steep stairs leading to her front door were getting increasing difficult, and shortly thereafter, her doctor informed her that her disease is going to progress to a point where she’ll be wheelchair-bound.
So, Campanella began researching ramps to install over her front steps. She’d called contractors and tried soliciting advice on local Facebook pages, but every turn proved to be a dead end. One contractor suggested getting a lift, which would be less costly, so the family started to save up.
But every time they had a bit of money saved, something new came up. Her cancer reached the point where she was having mini seizures, and so the savings they accumulated went toward medication to treat the seizures.
So, she went on a few Moorestown Facebook pages and asked if anyone had a lift they might be able to donate. Some offered up inside lifts, but none had the outdoor type she would need for her front steps.
That’s when South reached out. She said she’d seen Campanella post on local Facebook pages from time to time, and they’d met once before. Campanella said she’s always been a firm believer that if their children want money, they should earn it.
Her daughter asked if she’d advertise for her pet sitting and pet waste cleanup services on Facebook, and South, who was having a party at her home, contacted Campanella offering to take her daughter up on the cleanup service. Campanella brought her daughter to South’s house and began showing her how to clean up the yard.
“I was doing pretty bad,” Campanella said. “I was having problems walking, but your family comes first. You have to teach your daughter how to be a woman.”
South was incredibly struck by what she witnessed. She said Campanella was visibly weak from treatment, but she was insisting on being a role model for her daughter.
“I thought, ‘Here, [Kathy’s] really sick, and yet, she’s still living her life and raising her children and doing the best she can,’” South said.
When South saw Campanella’s post about the lift, she knew she wanted to help. She reached out to Campanella and asked if she could help her fundraise. South reached out to local nonprofit Code Blue Collaborative, and the group agreed to let South collect funds through a PayPal link on its website.
When Fox 29 caught wind of the campaign and interviewed South and Campanella about their fundraising effort, South decided to create a GoFundMe page to offer more transparency about the amount of money being raised. She sent the fundraising goal at $4,730 to cover the cost of the lift, and the GoFundMe fees. As of Thursday, Aug. 15, the campaign had exceeded its goal having raised $4,826.
Campanella said she was overcome by the outpouring of support. Prior to the fundraiser, she was depressed and struggling. She said she always knew she lives in a supportive community, but she didn’t know what to expect when they started fundraising.
“It’s hard to keep positive, and I try so hard, and this really showed me […] it’s just amazing how much they really care,” Campanella said.
A parent of one of Campanella’s son’s friends heard about Campanella’s story and reached out offering to install the lift for free. Given that Campanella will probably be wheelchair-bound for the majority of time in a few years, they decided to go with a wheelchair lift, so that they don’t have to replace the lift again in a few years.
“It just totally restores so much faith in me – not just for my illness – but just for the world itself,” Campanella said. “It’s amazing how much people care. I”m so touched; I don’t know how to thank everybody.”
South has taken the lead on ordering the lift and is sorting through the details of arranging everything. Campanella said she’s just been shocked by the fact that someone she barely knew was willing to work so hard to help her.
For South, the experience has been a humbling one. She said she didn’t know what to expect either when she first set out on her mission, but she knew it was something she wanted to do.
“We all have something we can contribute or ways we can give back to our community,” South said. “I thank the community for their support.”
The campaign has officially ended as of Wednesday, Aug. 14, and they’re looking to order the lift in the coming days.
“The biggest thing I really take from this is: It’s so easy to give; it’s so easy to think there’s nothing there, and even though you’re surrounded, you don’t see it. Then, something beautiful comes out of something you would have never expected,” Campanella said.
