NEWS FROM IWL 2010

Seven year old Samantha Lazazzaro and her 4 year old brother, Jake, were both diagnosed with Cockayne Syndrome Type II, a very rare neruodegenerative disease which causes cataracts at birth, developmental delays, tremors, failure to thrive and has a life expectancy of 4-7 years.  Samantha, who is on a feeding tube, lost her ability to walk at age 3 1/2, so her progress , at an age when CS is supposed to take over her body, is nothing short of a miracle.  The League purchased bicycles with 2 child seats, helmets and a car rack for the two children because their mother, Maria says, "they love, love, love being outside, going to parks and feeding the ducks."

View videos of their progress here

"Welcome to Holland” a poem written by Emily Perl Kingsley and read by Colleen Caputo refering to her daughter, Brianna, who has Down Syndrome.

Meet Carmela Ottaviano - an IWL recipient from Brooklyn, NY who was diagnosed with MS five years ago.  We have been helping her with transportation to and from treatment and just recently purchased a NuStep exercizer for her home so she can use it every day to strengthen her legs.  Her goal is to walk unassisted.  Click here to view video

Italian Welfare League
Board of Directors

Chairwoman
Bea Tusiani
President
Linda Carlozzi
Vice Presidents
Louisa Greco
Celeste Marchione-Maltzman
Treasurer
Geraldine DiCostanzo
Secretary
Kristin Knowles
Board Members
Geraldine Caggiano
Lucrezia Gallelli
Denise A. Manniello
Maria Marco
Rose Pannini
Joan Prezioso

Affiliated Organizations

•Columbus ESCA Alliance, Inc.
•Calandra Italian American Institute
•The Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection at the New York Foundling Hospital
• Center for Migration Studies
• Coalition of Italo-Amercan Associations, Inc.
• Columbus Citizens Foundation
• The National Italian American Foundation
• NOIAW (Nat’l Org. Of
Italian American Women)

If you would like to make a donation to the league, please do so here: