Boss: 'We Have Less Than a Month to Save a Disabled Boy and Cancer Patient's Home and Pets'

Photo credit: Nate and one of his beloved horses

When Dawn Giovannucci heard that her employee, a friend, was on the verge of losing everything, she decided to rally.

Giovannucci owns A Diamond in the Ruff salon in Northborough, and Beth Malo works for her as a mobile groomer. It’s not enough to combat the hardships the Malo family, which is from Sterling, is facing. The family faces losing their home, and their pets, after crumbling under the debt magnified by two family members battling diseases.

“She has so many things stacked against her,” said Giovannucci, “yet she comes to work every day with a smile on her face and is very enjoyable to work with. She is the strong type of person who just keeps going with he flow, whatever happens to her. One of the worst things is she never thinks or expects anything good to happen to her, never mind the miracle they need.”

Beth’s five-year-old son, Nate, has a very rare disease called CFC syndrome - one that only roughly 200 individuals worldwide have. Nate is not eligible for disability because the state has determined Beth makes “too much money.” Nate’s disease is so rare that it is often misdiagnosed, and many doctors have not encountered it. It is a genetic condition that affects the heart, facial features and skin.

Giovannucci adds that the family, which includes four kids, has pets, including cats, ducks, dogs, bunnies, and some beloved horses, which are therapeutic for Nate.

“One of Nate’s first words was ‘Splash man,’ which is their blind horse,” said Giovannucci, “and Nate is always calling ‘Hope,’ their other horse, who also has a degenerative disease along with their minis who were abused. No one will want to take all their disabled horses – what will happen to them?”

“Insurance companies try to fight paying for things such as his formula,” said Giovannucci. “Many CFC children end up on feeding tubes, but he does ok with this one specific formula and he needs it to survive.”

Beth’s husband, Dave, is battling Stage IV kidney cancer, and fights it by taking part in two drug trials. He is unable to return to work.

“He has to drive at least once a week over an hour each way to be involved in these trials,” said Giovannucci. “Between gas prices and parking in Boston, it’s costing them a fortune, but what else can they do?”

The family is on the verge of losing their house, the result of refinancing to pay her ex-husband, as well as child support issues, said Giovannucci.

“Beth is a very sweet person, and extremely loyal,” Giovannucci. “A very dedicated wife and mother who does whatever she has to do to take care of her family. On top of working, she is a wife and mother of four and step-mom of 2. Even before her husband was diagnosed with cancer he became disabled because of a bad injury to his leg at work; so they have to rely on her check and a disability check.”

In less than a month, the Malo home will go into foreclosure and auctioned off.

There is a webpage to donate to help the family, and Giavannucci is planning another fundraiser this month (details to come) at Diamond in the Ruff. Congressman Jim McGovern, too, is reaching out to the mortgage company on behalf of the Malo family, and they await a response.

Donations can also be made to:

Leominster Credit Union
7 main st
Sterling ma
Checks made payable to benefit of david malo fund

See Northborough Patch for updates on this story.