Help Faith's Fight: Zumba Fundraiser Today Aims To Help Toms River Family

Any parent will tell you that a child’s first birthday is special. The marking of the first year since that tiny creature came into your life is a milestone most of us treasure.

For Drew and Lindsey Calvo of Toms River, the first birthday of their daughter, Faith Ruth Calvo, in late December turned from one of joy to one of fear and uncertainty. At her routine 1-year-old checkup, Faith’s doctor found a lump on her abdomen.

Just days into the New Year, the Calvos were facing the scariest news any parent can face: the lump turned out to be a large tumor in Faith’s abdomen, and was determined to be neuroblastoma, a solid cancer of the nerve tissue of the sympathetic nervous system.

She is undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and according to a Facebook page set up by the Calvos, In It To Win It - Faith Ruth Calvo, doctors at CHOP also have harvested stem cells from the little girl.

The Calvos, who have an older son, Bobby, have been receiving support from friends and family, especially those who are first responders: Drew is a part-time emergency medical technician for Toms River and a volunteer firefighter. He also is a shop teacher at Piscataway High School, according to friends.

Those friends have united to set up fundraisers to assist the family with its medical expenses.

On Sunday, there is a Zumbathon at Toms River High School North, organized by Toms River Township EMS members. It is being held in the gym at the back of the high school (the old gym for those familiar with the school) from 2 to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children and can be purchased in advance by contacting Jeanea Meola at jmeola@trpolice.org. More information can be found at the event’s Facebook page, Get Fit for Faith.

In addition to the Zumbathon, the Toms River EMS members are selling T-shirts to support the family.

A fundraising dinner and gift auction set for Friday, March 27 is sold out.

And a GoFundMe page has been set up as well by a group of first responders, who have named the group Friends In Faith.

“We have agreed to help this family that has given so much of their time helping others and to do all that we can do to help our young friend Faith,” wrote Patty Lightbody Gillich in a post on the Friends in Faith Facebook page. “Let’s show Drew and his family how much it means to all of us the time he has dedicated to HELP THE RESIDENTS, PROPERTY AND BUSINESS OWNERS OF OUR GREAT TOWN OF TOMS RIVER AND TODAY’S YOUNG ADULTS.”