My name is Vanessa and I created this support campaign on behalf of my brother, Marco, who is in active treatment for a relapse of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It has been very difficult for Marco to ask for help and what many people do not know is that he has actually been battling cancer since May 2024.

I tried to encourage him to reach out for support before, but he insisted on trying to provide for himself and the kids on his own. We never imagined the cancer would come back, but when it did it changed everything. After many conversations and after he really took an honest look at his medical situation, his work, and his finances, he finally agreed it was time to ask for support. This has not been an easy decision for him, but he knows it’s best so he can focus his energy on healing and keeping his children’s best interests in mind.

Marco tends to be private about his personal life, but he’s open to sharing the details now, so I’ll share more about what he has been through below. In short, his specialists have recommended an aggressive two-phase treatment plan that gives him the best chance for a cure. The challenge is that it will keep him out of work until at least the spring of 2026, and he has already been without income since August. The funds raised through this fundraiser will go toward basic living and medical expenses, including housing, food, utilities, transportation, and medications. Your generosity will provide stability and peace of mind during this time, and every donation makes a meaningful difference.

Marco has dedicated his adult life to caring for others, not only through his work in healthcare but also to friends and family whenever they needed advice, a ride, or even a doctor’s note. Now it’s our turn to be there for him.

How It Started

In February 2024 Marco was making dinner for the kids. At some point he casually touched the side of his neck and noticed a few enlarged lymph nodes on the right side. He didn’t think much of it because it was cold and flu season and he had a sore throat and a cough at the time. A week later the kids tested positive for COVID, which seemed to support the idea that it was likely an infection he was fighting off. The sore throat eventually passed, but the cough stayed.

After about a month Marco went to his primary care doctor and explained what was going on. Since he had bronchitis in the past that sometimes lingered for several weeks, he thought a Z-Pak might help, and his doctor agreed. The cough resolved and two of the lymph nodes went down a little, but they never fully resolved. A couple of weeks later the cough came back, so the day after Easter he returned to his doctor and made suggestions for further testing. His doctor agreed. Marco is an ambitious PA, and he admits that sometimes he tells his doctor what to do. (Classic Marco—if you know, you know, lol). A chest X-ray was ordered, and it showed a shadow on the right side of his chest. That led to a CT scan, and the results made it clear something more serious was going on.

Marco believes that if the cough hadn’t persisted he probably never would have gone for that scan. He sees it as a blessing in disguise because without it the cancer would not have been found when it was. Interestingly, the day he had the CT scan the cough suddenly resolved and never came back.

The Diagnosis

The CT scan showed multiple masses and enlarged lymph nodes in his chest, several were golf ball sized. A PET scan showed the masses and lymph nodes were in his neck, chest, and abdomen. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis as Stage III Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

After the diagnosis he needed further testing and procedures, one of which was a bone marrow biopsy. The day of the bone marrow biopsy happened to be the same day as his daughter’s social studies fair, and Marco had promised her he would be there. To keep that promise, he chose to have the biopsy done without sedation so he could be clear-headed and still attend. The procedure involved a drill to extract marrow from his sacrum. He describes it as the most pain he had ever felt in his life, but he pushed through it because keeping his promise to his daughter mattered more than anything.

Treatment and Prognosis

Despite having advanced lymphoma, his oncologist was very optimistic with the prognosis and felt there was a 93% chance he would be cured.

He went through 12 rounds of chemotherapy plus immunotherapy (six cycles of two rounds each). He endured the fatigue, nausea, memory loss, neuropathy and long days at the infusion center, but he stayed focused on putting all of this behind him. Most of his treatments he faced alone, though he always had the love and encouragement of family and a small circle of friends.

By November 2024, Marco completed all 12 treatments. The follow-up PET scan showed no evidence of cancer. Another scan in March 2025 looked even better. At that point, it seemed like the cancer was behind him, and everyone started to believe life could return to normal.

The Relapse

In June 2025 Marco went for what was supposed to be one last CT scan, to confirm that everything was still clear and to allow him to have his chemo port removed. Unfortunately, the results showed multiple enlarged lymph nodes in his chest. A follow-up PET scan and biopsy, this time through his neck into his upper chest, confirmed a relapse of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The news was devastating, and there are ways it affected him that he does not want me to share. After completing 12 rounds of treatment, being told there was a 93% chance of being cured, and hearing the word “remission,” nobody expected the cancer to return. Even his oncologist was surprised by the results.

The Road Ahead

After the relapse was confirmed, Marco was referred to a lymphoma specialist to determine the best next steps. The plan is now a more aggressive two-phase approach. Phase one is a different chemotherapy and immunotherapy combination, and phase two is a stem cell transplant. His lymphoma specialist is confident this plan gives him the best chance at a long-term cure, but she has also been clear that the road will be difficult.

The transplant will require two to three weeks in the hospital, followed by months of recovery at home with lab tests, scans, and immunizations. Marco has been told it may take at least three months before he begins to feel somewhat normal again, and closer to six months before he feels fully like himself. Because the transplant wipes out the immune system, returning to direct patient care in healthcare will not be safe or realistic until at least the spring.

What He’s Facing

Since August Marco has not had any income. He has applied to several assistance programs through cancer organizations and government agencies, but so far he has not qualified for any. While he continues treatment, there is no realistic way for him to work. The fatigue, pain, memory issues, and other unpredictable side effects from chemotherapy and immunotherapy make it impossible to commit to a job, and the transplant will only extend that timeline further.

When this began, Marco was told treatment and recovery would take about 10 months. Believing this, he relied on his savings to get through. Now, 16 months later, the fight is still ongoing, projected to last 24 months or more, and his savings will be fully exhausted by the end of October.

Marco is a co-parent, and his son and daughter still depend on him. The cost of rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, laundry, and medications continues to add up each month. Insurance covers part of his care, but deductibles, copays, and coinsurance all reset at the start of the new year.

This fundraiser is about helping Marco and the way he fulfills his part in providing for the kids.

Standing With Marco

Marco has spent his life caring for others, both as a healthcare professional and as someone friends and family could always count on, whether it was medical advice, a ride when you needed one, an inspiration when you were feeling down, or just making you laugh on a hard day. Now, during this difficult season, he needs that same support in return. Donations will go directly toward keeping him and the kids stable while he focuses on treatment and recovery.

Your generosity and prayers mean more than words can express. By giving and by sharing this campaign, you are helping Marco get through this fight and move toward a full recovery