An informal Langley charity that helps those dealing with the unexpected expenses of battling cancer has made its fifth contribution, to the family of a three-year-old girl from the Yukon who has spent the last six months at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver.
Ashley Samborski presented $5,000 to Tony (who asked that his last name not be published), whose daughter Star was flown to the hospital in October after she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, brain cancer.
"I really can't tell you how much it's really going to do to help me and my family," Tony said. "That's beautiful. This is a large sum. I'm really grateful for this, your good, kind gesture."
A tear ran down his face as Tony recounted how Star, the youngest of his three children, will ask how her dad is doing when he visits her in the hospital cancer ward.
"'Daddy are you okay?' she says," Tony described.
"When she smiles at me, I can't get depressed."
A family from the Yukon has become the fifth to be helped by Efcancer, a small-scale Langley campaign that raises funds to help people cope with the cost of battling cancer. pic.twitter.com/gkmlMFCTjZ
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) March 25, 2025
Tony, an engineer who works in the oil and gas industry, gave up his job to help look after his daughter. He and his wife and two older daughters have been living in Vancouver since Star had to be moved. They've gone into debt, close to $200,000, he estimates.
"We've really been struggling," Tony said.
"My employer said that my work cannot be done remotely, so we have to part ways because I need to give care to my daughter."
Star underwent surgery and then several rounds of chemotherapy. After she has finished her treatment, she will require many return visits.
"We are trusting God that as soon as she's released from the hospital, I will be bringing her in as an outpatient," Tony said.
"And I should have settled down, gone back to work and [be able to] support my family."
After the presentation of the donation at the hospital, Samborski hugged Tony and wished his family well.
"I'll be praying for your daughter and for all you guys," said Ashley.
It was all in honour of his mother, Adeline Samborski, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2013.
One thing her husband Gerald and son Ashley discovered was how expensive cancer can be, especially when people have to stop work to care for a loved on.
Since then, to honour her memory, they have been raising funds a little at a time, and whenever they get to $5,000, they go looking for a family to help.
They used to call the campaign "efcancer" but changed it to "The Adeline Samborski 5K giveaway."
With his dad getting older, Ashley said it was possible they might have to wind down their small-scale initiative, but he hopes not.
"Maybe there will be a sixth," he said.
"I like to think one day we'll be able to do that."
More information can be found on the Facebook page about the Adeline Samborski 5k giveaway at https://www.facebook.com/donate5k/.
