Scotch Plains Cancer Patient Given Gift Of Heat

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — It was three years ago when Pam Merola lost heat. She found out her furnace was rusted out on the inside and then two weeks later she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma.

For years she used gas and electric space heaters to heat her 300-plus-year-old house in Scotch Plains. She forgot all about the furnace since she had her own battle with cancer. It no longer became a priority.

But all of that changed when she visited Mary’s Place By The Sea in Ocean Grove, a respite home for women who are receiving treatment for cancer.

Merola was getting ready to stay at Mary’s Place for two nights the week before her birthday in January when one of her two supplemental heaters broke. The other one had already broken down before winter started.

“I left my house with my two sons in their 20s with no heat,” Merola said. “It was such a disastrous time and I almost cancelled my trip.”

So upset over the situation, Merola says she must’ve been talking about her situation when a “miracle happened.”

She got a call in early February from Mary’s Place letting her know that Service Professionals in Union was going to be donating a brand new furnace to be installed at her home all free of charge.

"Mary's Place by the Sea is grateful to Service Professionals for selecting a guest of ours as the recipient of this very generous donation. This company has shown its commitment to women with cancer, and we are pleased to have played a small part in making this 'miracle' a reality for Pam," said Michele Gannon, President and Co-Founder of Mary's Place by the Sea.

“I still feel like I am dreaming. I don’t believe it’s really still happening,” Merola said. “I feel so blessed. The Mary’s Place women and volunteers and everyone there are amazing... I just feel very blessed that there are these wonderful beautiful people in the world and want it to be known.”

(Image via Pam Merola: Pam with her parents Barbara and Anthony Merola and sister Beth Merola fundraising for the Melanoma Research Foundation.)

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