On National Cancer Survivors Day, we celebrate the strength of all cancer survivors, including Marine Corporal William “Alex” Sitorius’ daughter, Deliah, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2019. With relentless perseverance and never-ending hope, they’ve aspired for a brighter future with The Fund by their side, always surrounded by an all-encompassing support that has forever changed their lives.
Alex’s wife, Ashley, first reached out to The Fund as he recovered from multiple knee surgeries and was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the bills piled up and their burden became too heavy to carry on their own, The Fund provided grants for mortgage payments, rehabilitation equipment, and assistive home devices — vitally easing their stress as The Fund vowed to support their family each step of Alex’s recovery journey and beyond.
And that promise was never more important than in 2019, when the Sitoirus family received the tragic news that their young daughter, Deliah, had a rare form of brain cancer due to a highly unusual gene mutation. A new journey then began, one which forced this family to travel through one of the most heartbreaking and challenging circumstances they’d ever experienced.
But as cherished members of The Fund family, they would never walk this difficult path alone.
As Deliah underwent chemotherapy at a hospital over three hours away from their home, The Fund made certain that the Sitorius family had everything needed to lift the financial burden of their daughter’s vital treatments. The Fund offset the cost of the weekly trips to Deliah’s appointments with gift cards for gas and meals on the road, and when the family returned home, they were often greeted with surprises to help lift their spirits, such as a delivery of Deliah’s favorite chocolate chip cookies.
“The smallest things mean so much,” said Ashley as The Fund provided much-needed relief on the family’s hardest, most emotional days. “The Fund has been AMAZING for our family. We don’t have many family or friends around us, and it’s incredible to know that people care and are willing to help out.”
Even as Deliah underwent nearly a years’ worth of treatments, her kind, loving, and courageous heart continued to bring joy to those around her.
“In my darkest moments, my daughter has saved my life more than once,” said Alex, continually encouraged by his daughter’s positivity and ever-present smile. “Deliah is an amazing little girl. She exudes strength, is so incredibly brave, and makes those closest to her laugh until we cry.”
As the family traveled back and forth throughout Deliah’s treatments, putting miles upon miles on their car, their case manager, Beth, reached out with a very special question to ensure their continued safety on the road: Did they have any need for a new vehicle? If so, The Fund would pay for their car payments — a blessing they gratefully accepted.
“I bawled my eyes out on the phone with Beth. No one has ever done anything like this for our family,” said Ashley. “We’ll never forget the sincere goodness and generosity bestowed upon us by The Fund. They’re always blessing us when we need it the most and never ever expect it.”
“Beth has gone above and beyond her role as our case manager,” said Alex. “She has become an invaluable support system for Ashley … It’s so special for someone to ‘get it’ and for someone to care so deeply about our family.”
Even with her medical challenges, Deliah continues to serve as a source of inspiration to never give up. She’s an honor roll student at her middle school, a part of her school’s news program, and an active participant in Fellowship of Christian Athletes alongside completing various community service projects.
Alex, Ashley, and Deliah’s brother, Carter, remain hopeful about the future, believing the challenges they’ve faced “are opportunities in disguise, teaching us how to be fierce advocates for one another. We wouldn’t be here without Beth, The Fund, and their generous donors. It’s absolutely incredible seeing what everyone has done for our family. The Fund’s help was a blessing from the start but today, we consider The Fund life-changing.”