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In May of 2010, around his 5th birthday, Marcello was diagnosed with Leukemia. The news stunned us. The process of managing one child through 3 years of Chemotherapy while helping his two brothers cope and seeing the impact on their childhood was overwhelming. With the support of his medical team at Yale, friends and family, we made it through 3 years of treatment. In August of 2013, we celebrated Marcello’s completion of treatment.
For the next year we held our breath each month for his blood work results and were relieved each time there was no indication the Leukemia had returned. In September 2014 we celebrated his 1 year milestone and felt a sigh of relief. We made it! We registered for a Leukemia walk so Marcello could take his victory lap as a survivor. Three weeks later Marcello was diagnosed with a recurrence of Leukemia. The news was devastating. How would we manage through this process again? More intense treatments, frequent hospitalization and a bone marrow transplant his best hope for long term survival.
Marcello is in remission and we are blessed with a sibling match to be his bone marrow donor. He is being treated at Boston Children’s Hospital where he will need to remain for several months and then be treated as an outpatient for a year. As our family began this journey, we quickly realized managing the emotional, financial, and logistical requirements is immense. Setting up housing in another city while continuing to maintain the routine of his siblings back home is complicated.
Marcello has a big heart and even bigger personality. He loves people and is a bright light even on his darkest days. He has a special way of taking care of his caregivers. This campaign will raise money to support Marcello’s recovery and create a foundation that will help other families in the future. If you are interested in helping, any amount would be greatly appreciated more than you will ever know. If you are unable to make a pledge please keep Marcello, our family and all families of children battling cancer in your prayers.
For the next year we held our breath each month for his blood work results and were relieved each time there was no indication the Leukemia had returned. In September 2014 we celebrated his 1 year milestone and felt a sigh of relief. We made it! We registered for a Leukemia walk so Marcello could take his victory lap as a survivor. Three weeks later Marcello was diagnosed with a recurrence of Leukemia. The news was devastating. How would we manage through this process again? More intense treatments, frequent hospitalization and a bone marrow transplant his best hope for long term survival.
Marcello is in remission and we are blessed with a sibling match to be his bone marrow donor. He is being treated at Boston Children’s Hospital where he will need to remain for several months and then be treated as an outpatient for a year. As our family began this journey, we quickly realized managing the emotional, financial, and logistical requirements is immense. Setting up housing in another city while continuing to maintain the routine of his siblings back home is complicated.
Marcello has a big heart and even bigger personality. He loves people and is a bright light even on his darkest days. He has a special way of taking care of his caregivers. This campaign will raise money to support Marcello’s recovery and create a foundation that will help other families in the future. If you are interested in helping, any amount would be greatly appreciated more than you will ever know. If you are unable to make a pledge please keep Marcello, our family and all families of children battling cancer in your prayers.