Maria Joffrion (she/her/hers), Spanish-Speaking Program Associate
Maria joined the Love Bus team in 2024 as the Spanish-speaking Program Associate, offering many Love Bus families the opportunity to share their journeys and be supported in their preferred language.
Maria has 4 wonderful children and has been a 'cancer mom' for 16 years. After her son Tommy received his second cancer diagnosis, Maria reached out for support– and Love Bus answered the call, in more ways than one! Love Bus made it possible for Tommy and his little brother, Sean, to participate in music classes when they were just 3 and 4 years old. Now 13 years later, at 16 and 18 years old, Love Bus is funding massage therapy for each of them!
Maria is passionate about connecting pediatric cancer families with organizations, providers, and other families to share knowledge, experiences, and resources. Parents in all different stages of their child's cancer journey - from newly diagnosed, to cured, to on treatment 20 years later, to bereaved - have all helped Maria along the way, and she is so happy to be able to do the same for others now.
Q&A with Maria:
Q: What’s your favorite integrative therapy to practice?
A: I love massage; the cozy warm bed, the connection and gratitude I feel towards the provider, the emotional release as the tight muscles melt away, the lingering relaxation and good feeling that I leave with, having done something for myself which can be so hard to do! I also love horseback riding because of how it helped Tommy; watching him ride away on a horse, months after multiple brain surgeries, left me in awe of his abilities and strength.
Q: What’s something people might not know about you?
A:I have always felt very connected to nature, I love swimming and being in water. If I am near the ocean, I have to go in! I do cold therapy, sitting in cold water, outside, throughout our NE winter months! I was born in Argentina and I have been a vegetarian since I was 11 years old!
