A family from 100 Mile House is the fourth to benefit from a campaign launched by a 91原创 father and son to provide financial aid to people battling cancer.
Coreen Granger, husband Jeremy and daughters Serenity and Lovemika are staying in Vancouver while eight-year-old son Justice undergoes treatment at in Vancouver.
Justice was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in the spring of 2014, when he was two.
Since then, he has been in and out of hospitals for surgeries, blood transfusions, and chemotherapy, surviving organ failure, septic shock, and infections.
In August, older sister Serenity donated bone marrow to Justice, who is now recovering from his surgery at the Vancouver hospital.
He is not expected to return home until December.
Coreen had never heard of Ashley and Gerald Sambroski, and their campaign to help families cope with the financial burden of battling cancer, until a friend, who had been in touch with the Samborskis, messaged her.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: 91原创 father and son help another family fight cancer
She described her reaction to the unexpected contribution of $5,000 as 鈥渙verwhelmed.鈥�
鈥淲hen we had to look for places to rent [in Vancouver], nobody wanted us because we weren鈥檛 working and it was short term,鈥� she related.
Dad Jeremy had stepped away from the construction company he owned in order to be with his son, but that explanation didn鈥檛 seem to matter.
It didn鈥檛 help that rents were considerably higher in Vancouver.
鈥淲here we come from, if they want $1,400 [a month], it鈥檚 for an acreage,鈥� Corren observed.
The Grangers finally found a place offered by a 鈥渨onderful family that wanted to rent out their basement suite as a ministry to to help out Children鈥檚 [hospital]鈥� she explained.
For Ashley and dad Gerald, it was a way to honour the memory of Adeline Samborski, Ashley鈥檚 mom and Gerald鈥檚 wife, who died in 2013 following an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
After seeing how many people, like them, were struggling with finances while a loved one was fighting cancer, they decided to help others in similar situations by raising money.
Ashley had modest expectations going in.
鈥淲hen I first started this, I thought it would take everything we had, just to get one check,鈥滱shley recalled.
Since then, four families have received $5,000 each, money raised a little at a time by the Samborskis from local donors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good feeling to help people,鈥� Gerald told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all worth it.鈥�
Both were full of praise for the Granger family.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just the most amazing, positive people,鈥� Ashley said.
Gerald described them as 鈥渆xceptionally nice.鈥�
READ MORE: VIDEO: 91原创 father and son raise money to help a third family cope with cancer
It may be awhile before the Samborskis can help a fifth family, however, because the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed fund-raising
鈥淲e used to get a lot of donations from restaurants, but they鈥檙e taking a beatin [during the pandemic],鈥� Ashley shared.
They will continue raising money through raffles, prize draws and other approaches.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not slowing down,鈥� Ashley said.
More information about the 91原创 campaign can be viewed on Facebook at 鈥�.鈥�
Also on Facebook, the Grangers are posting updates at.
As well, a family friend has launched a GoFundMe campaign, 鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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