on that side of the desk, it’s even harder to sit on this side of
the desk. As hard as it was to tell families – I was often with
the doctor when the families found out the child had cancer
and I was the one with the tissues and I was the one with the
resources, but when we sat on this side of the desk and my
co-workers are handing me the tissue and the news - it was
a little surreal. Even now it seems like it just didn’t happen,
maybe that’s a coping skill. I don’t know. My son died six
months later and I didn’t know what do to. I was the facilitator
of the grief groups and now the parents and families that
I had been helping were now helping me. Now, I facilitate
them as a bereaved mom not just a social worker.
This is one of the major characteristics of 1Voice. Many
program are developed from experience and not just Massolio’s
“When you are on the journey, you can develop the path
a little differently than just having the degrees and working
what was helpful for them.”
For example, it was Jay that inspired the concept of 1Voice
Academy. His love of school and the frustration of not being
able to go (“I can’t even go to school here?” he asked of the
hospital school.) made Massolio realize there was no educational
solution in this country for children with cancer. She
and 1Voice are about to change that.
In connection with the establishment of the academy
building, 1Voice Foundation would like to have a place
where all the programs could be pulled together. Massolia de-
their bills, refer them to other organizations, survivors can
come and talk to other survivors - one big wellness source.
The word wellness is important because we’re non-medical,
but we have the complimentary therapies - the massage, the
Zumba, etc.”
Mentioning the programs gets Massolio on a soapbox of
Equine Therapy – “Makay-
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nity partner, Quantum
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Bereavement Services –
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dren’s Gasparilla Parade each January.
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Center & Research Institute.
Earnest Graham Art &
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tired Tampa Bay Buccaneer
Earnest Graham
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Earnest has established a
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items and necessities and are
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unteers.
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28 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 813.682.9364 FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE