GORE BAY – A GoFundMe campaign has been established for a long-time Manitoulin Island paramedic and his family, after Paul Zilio found out recently that he has colon cancer that has spread to other parts of his body.
Jennifer Zilio, sister of Mr. Zilio, started the GoFundMe campaign and is trying to raise $20,000. She explained in a post on Facebook on February 18, “within the last week my brother Paul found out he has colon cancer, that it has spread to other parts of his body and that he will be living and fighting cancer for the rest of his life. He was admitted to the Cancer Centre in Sudbury on Monday. Many tests have and continue to be done. Radiation treatment will start next week.”
Mr. Zilio is a front-line paramedic on Manitoulin Island. He is married with four children aged 21, 17, 13, and nine. He is taking a leave of absence from work to give this cancer his best fight, continued Ms. Zilio. “His wife will be by his side as much as she can be, going back and forth from Manitoulin Island to Sudbury.”
She explained, “with much less income being brought in during the next year of Paul’s fight, but the bills still remaining the same, I’m hoping to help take stress off Paul’s mind that his family will be okay. That they will still be able to have grocery money, gas money and the house bills will still be able to be paid.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up, “Paul Zilio’s fight against cancer,” and it is hoped that the campaign can raise $20,000.
