Project Amelia Celebrates Wonderful News And Official Launch

We shared the story of South Slope’s Amelia Coffaro with you back in March of this year. The 28-year-old freelance photographer (the photo above is from Amelia’s Self Portraits With Luminaries series) was diagnosed with stage 3b inflammatory breast cancer on February 7, 2013.

She has no health insurance.

Friends and neighbors immediately rallied in support and formed Project Amelia, a Give Forward project dedicated to raising money for her treatment.

To date, the group has raised $42,924, but as her first few weeks of treatment topped $55,000, they are desperate to continue spreading the word on both Amelia’s journey and the project itself.

Although the road has been anything but smooth, Jennifer Kahrs, owner of 6th Avenue’s The Shadowbox Shop and co-founder of Project Amelia, had some fantastic news to share with us last night.

“We’re celebrating a CLEAN PET SCAN,” she beamed.

Jennifer explained that Amelia “was doing good after the first round of chemo, and then her white blood cell count dropped and she had to stop treatments, which got us all worried so we launched massive love and all of the sudden those blood cells went back up and her scan was clean and everything is fine to proceed.

“When she started the chemo,” she added, “her tumor was 15 cm and now, last I heard, they are at 9!!”

Don’t think for a second, though, that this recent roller coaster has shaken Amelia’s resolve.

“She has good days and bad days and somehow manages to send us positive words of encouragement in our pursuits,” said Jennifer. “Even care packages and birthday presents.  She really is that special.”

In celebration, Project Amelia is throwing a party from 6pm to 11pm on Thursday, May 16 at Hudson Terrace (621 West 46th Street, between the West Side Highway and 11th Street in Manhattan) to officially launch Project Amelia, and to raise a glass to Amelia’s progress.

There is a $25 suggested donation, which can be paid at the door, or online (just make sure you bring your receipt if you pay online), and all proceeds go directly to Amelia’s medical care. Look for 2 for 1 specialty cocktails and Bud Light from 6pm-7pm, reduced drink prices until 9pm, and special Project Amelia gifts for the first 100 donations made that evening.

A neighbor needs our help, South Slope. We can do this.

For the most recent information on Project Amelia, be sure to follow the group on Facebook or Twitter, and most importantly, visit the Project Amelia Give Forward page.