I know it has been a long time since I have written on the Pinky so I hope this finds everyone well. We have been so blessed with mom’s recovery and could not have done it without all of you. But I thought this was important information to pass along on The Pink Chronicle so we can all sign her petition.
Please Read:
Alaina Giordano was diagnosed with breast cancer three and half years ago. That was bad.
This is worse: On April 25th, a judge in North Carolina used Alaina’s cancer as a key reason to transfer custody of her 5-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter to her ex-husband (a man Alaina describes as “abusive” and who lives more than 700 miles away).
This is happening even though Alaina says her kids “know that I have cancer, they know that I go for treatment once a month now, they know that it’s stable. They know me as mom, and it doesn’t affect our daily life.”
She has just two weeks to appeal, and her hope is that a huge outcry from the public and local elected officials can help reverse the decision.
Thankfully, that outcry is growing quickly. A petition started by Alaina’s sister Lauren has more than 7,000 signatures, Alaina was interviewed on Good Morning America and the Today Show, and media throughout North Carolina and the U.S. are now covering the injustice.
But time is short, and the wrong outcome here sets a dangerous precedent for mothers and fathers with cancer or other serious diseases. Please sign Lauren’s petition asking that Alaina Giordano’s breast cancer not be used as a reason to take away her kids:
Thanks for taking action,
- Shelby and the Change.org team
P.S. Alaina is urgently looking for a lawyer who can help with her appeal, pro bono. If you’re qualified to practice law in North Carolina and can help, shoot me an email at Shelby.Knox@Change.org.
Tags: Alaina Giordana, blog, breast cancer symptoms, cancer, case, chemotherapy, court, custody, judge, North Carolina, www.thepinkchronicle.com
May 12, 2011 at 7:36 pm |
Breast cancer is no longer the “kiss of death” that the judge apparently considers it to be. I signed the petition as this is a very dangerous precedent. If there are extenuating circumstances, such as signs of neglect, her family, neighbors and friends should consider this a clarion call to help maintain a tidy home and well cared for children. Petitions are fine but the people who surround her need to prove to the judge that the children are being cared for in a stable home.
May 14, 2011 at 1:55 am |
I have had this mother and her children on my mind since I first read about this. I cannot believe the judge gave the father custody. I can’t believe a father would have so little compassion for his children as to take them away from their mother at this point. Can’t he wait til she’s dead; that will be enough of a shock to them. First, I hope a competent lawyer steps forward to take her case pro bono, and she wins the appeal. She is only 37, and is facing death and not seeing her children grow up. I don’t know how she gets through a day. Please everyone that knows about this, make it a priority. Keep posting it on FB, Twitter, pass it on. Every mother out there should be doing something to support this Mom.