Every Christmas tree sold at Calif. lot helps woman fight breast cancer

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. -- There's a little more riding this year on the success of a local tree lot. Every Christmas tree sold is helping a woman heal.

This is the fourth year the Cozzolinos have sold Christmas trees in Half Moon Bay but this year, Stephanie Cozzolino has kept an eye on business from inside a little green booth.

She would like to be out on the lot but the booth protects her from the elements. "I go in the trailer if it's too cold. I just need to make sure I don't get sick because that's going to delay my treatment," she said.

At 26 years old, Stephanie was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in October.

Her husband Tony is still rattled by the diagnosis. "You just kind of wish you could blink and it's all over and she's healed. But we know that's not the case. It's going to take time," he said.

Her battle with cancer has added a new sense of urgency for this crop of Christmas trees.

Christmas tree season stretches from the day after Thanksgiving 'til Christmas Eve, but the Cozzolinos hope to have all their trees sold by the end of next week.

Tony hopes to spend as much time with Stephanie as possible because her treatments are going to intensify.

The good news is she's part of an experimental program at Stanford and her mom says it's great to see family pull together to help.

"It just sounds so corny but how important family and friends are, it's made a huge difference for us," Stephanie's mother, Leslie Meyers, said.

Since word got out of her illness, the community has rallied around them. "We've had volunteers down here almost every single day. Friends, family. They even started a GoFundMe for us," Tony said.

"I would just like to say thank you for everybody who has supported us," Stephanie said.

This Christmas season, each time a tree is picked by a family from this lot, it will be a big help for the Cozzolino family in their time of need.

Click here to donate directly to the Cozzolinos.

Cozzolino's Christmas tree lot
501 San Mateo Rd (Highway 92) next to Spanishtown
Half Moon Bay, 94019