UNICO Helps Elizabeth Burns

(Hometown View returns on Monday, July 6)

7-year old Elizabeth Burns was born a healthy, happy baby and all seemed normal until she had her one-year old checkup. Doctors found her kidneys to be abnormal and were worried about her liver and instructed her parents to take Elizabeth to the hospital. It turned out they visited many hospitals and doctors, even going to Germany but could not get an accurate diagnosis and cause as her condition worsened. Eventually she required daily dialysis and her mother Lali had to become her nurse 24/7. In 2004 Elizabeth received her first kidney transplant and the surgery seemed successful but she requires 11 daily medications and monthly visits to the hospital. In the meantime doctors finally diagnosed her condition as Tubulo-Interstital Nephritis and Hepatic Fibrosis. I don’t know if I’m pronouncing it correctly but the bottom line is Elizabeth’s liver function continues to deteriorate and she will need a combined liver and kidney transplant in the very near future to save her life. She remains on the emergency waiting list for pediatric organ donations.

I tell you this because on Friday, July 10th UNICO will sponsor a dinner-dance to raise money to help the family with the staggering costs associated with Elizabeth’s illness. The event will be held at the East Dover Firehouse on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River beginning at 7pm. UNICO is an Italian-American service organization that raises money to help those in the community who need it the most.

Tickets for the fundraiser are $40 each and on sale at Trattoria Giovanni, the Four Seasons Diner and Joey’s Men’s Fine Fashions….all on Fischer Boulevard. In addition they can be purchased at Capone’s Restaurant in downtown Toms River and Honda of Toms River on Route 37 East.

100% of the proceeds from the dinner-dance will go directly to the Burns Family and if you cannot attend but would like to make a donation you can purchase a booster at any of the advance ticket locations I just mentioned. You can also call Tracey at (732) 814-0312 for more information.