Co-founder, Traci’s Tribe
14, Lower Moreland Township
By Lisa Dukart
Casey Stone was devastated when 49-year-old Traci DiStefano passed away after battling a rare form of ovarian cancer. “She was almost like an aunt to me,” says Stone.
A longtime family friend, DiStefano had a way of bringing people together. Calling themselves Traci’s Tribe, a large, tight-knit circle stuck together throughout her cancer treatment. “She inspired us in so many ways with her amazing personality and infectious spirit,” Stone says. “[Even through treatment,] her love for life never changed. It really inspired me to try my best and always follow my heart, even in difficult times.”
Thanks to Stone and her parents, Traci’s Tribe now endures as a nonprofit with many second-generation members. This past January, more than 300 people attended Kids Comfort for Cancer. The inaugural event included corn hole, raffles and a silent auction. Traci’s Tribe more than tripled its initial fundraising goal, collecting over $47,000 for Fox Chase Cancer Center. “I’m proud of how hard we all try to really keep Traci’s memory alive by doing something she would’ve loved and been so touched by,” says Stone.
