Westfield Couple Lost Business, Home As Both Battle Cancer

WESTFIELD, NJ - Theresa and Kyu Choi were staples in the Westfield community for more than two decades, but the former Priceless Cleaners owners saw their joint battle with stage four cancer rob them of their small business and their home.

Now the family is asking for the community's help as the couple struggles to put their lives back together after so much bad luck.

"They are truly fighting for their lives," Julie Choi, Theresa and Kyu's daughter said. "Until now we were just fighting to be cancer free. We believed that our lives were never in jeopardy until now."

According to Choi, a string of unbelievable events has decimated the family finances, so much so that they had to sell their Westfield home two years ago and their downtown Westfield business this summer. The financial strain of the cancer battle saw Choi start a GoFundMe page for her parents.

"It tortures me to watch them struggle when I can't do anything for them," Choi said. "I am asking for help so that they can concentrate on their treatments."

Julie Choi said her family came to America from Korea in 1991 and opened Priceless Cleaners next to Manhattan Bagel in Westfield in 1994. Choi and her sister graduated from Westfield High School while working at the dry cleaner on the weekends.

Things were going well until the family hit a rough patch five years ago.

Choi said she moved back in with her parents and her young twins while she was getting divorced in 2013 and right around that time her mother, a breast cancer survivor from 2000, was told her cancer had returned. Soon after, her father was diagnosed with thymus cancer and as if that weren't enough Julie herself eventually was found to have very aggressive stage three breast cancer.

"The next few years were very hard. We were living in the same house with two toddlers and three cancer patients," Choi said. "We had to work together to manage our schedules for countless surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments."

Fortunately for her, after three years of treatment, Julie Choi was declared cancer free. But it came at a literal cost.

"I wasn't working for three years during treatment," Choi said told Patch. "As a small business owner they paid $2,000 a month for private health insurance plus copays, plus extra help at the store for years."

Choi said the added expense was compounded by three people working sporadically due to treatments.

"We didn't have money because we couldn't work," Choi said. "So we couldn't afford the mortgage and we sold the house."

The bad news didn't end with the loss of their home. "My mom’s breast cancer had spread to seven different tumors and her liver," Choi said. "Her oral pain medication is no longer working. My dad’s cancer had spread to his spine, pelvis and legs."

According to Choi, in the more than two decades running Priceless Cleaners their customers had become friends. That sentiment was echoed on the GoFundMe Page set up for the couple.

"We were customers of your parents for years - very kind people," Angela LaVigne said. "Your Mom always asked me about my kids. Prayers for all of you."

Richard Cheng said he always felt welcome in their shop.

"Your parents have greeted us with a smile at every visit over the last 18 years," Cheng said. "I loved the way they taped pictures of your kids to the wall. My parents do the same unless we put the photos in frames for them. Wishing them improved health."

Choi said chemotherapy and other traditional treatments no longer work for her parents, so they are in clinical trials and she is hoping the funds raised will help them with their worries and assist them in getting to treatment in Hackensack.

"They try to drive themselves but when they are unable they must take Uber but I know that they should be driven 100 percent of the time. That is why I started this," Choi said. "My Mom still has private insurance and my Dad has Medicare now but still pays so much money for out of pocket costs."

And Choi said now that is well enough to work, she can't take them for treatments. But there may be other options.

"I would be happy to help transport your parents to their treatments," Lisa Mikovits wrote on the fundraiser page. "Please let me know if I can help. Your parents have always been such kind, lovely people."

Another daughter of a small business owner said she went through a similar experience.

"I am so deeply sorry for the tragedies your family is facing. I live in Westfield and am the daughter of parents who were small business owners and who recently battled cancer simultaneously," Ariel Amster said. "I am so glad you started this page and are brave enough to ask for help. The cost for cancer care even with healthcare coverage is astronomical. Sending your family love and strength."

Choi said regardless of whether they meet their fundraising goal or not, she has been touched by the outpouring of support.

"I am so touched by your tremendous support. Seeing the all the supporter’s names on the page gives me so much hope that we need right now. We felt that we were alone in this long painful journey that never seems to end," Choi said. "I tried so hard to hide my grief from my children and others."

Choi said she tries to stay positive to appear stronger than she is.

"Asking strangers for help is not a easy thing to do but I feel stronger now because I am not hiding my fears anymore," she said.

Those interested in donating can visit the fundraiser page here.

(Photos courtesy of GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner)

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