Update as of 1/11/23:

We are heartbroken to share that Steve passed away peacefully this morning. Our hearts are with Bethany, Bella, Anthony, and family. We ask that you continue to send your love, prayers, and support their way. Steve’s obituary and funeral arrangements can be found at:

https://guestbook.wujekcalcaterra.com/m/obituaries/Steven-Tabacchi/Memories

Update as of 1/9/23:

There are no words to describe how grateful the Tabacchi family is for the outpouring of support they received in June when Steve was undergoing his initial treatment for leukemia. We share this update today to ask you to open your hearts and send your love, prayers, and support their way.

In what can only be described as devastating news, Steve and Bethany learned last week that the bone marrow transplant that Steve received in October was not successful. Steve is currently hospitalized.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to Amy Kemmer or Kim Getaw if you have any questions. We will do our best to convey information as we have it and to share your messages with the Tabacchi family. Please keep Steve, Bethany, Bella, and Anthony in your thoughts and prayers during this unimaginably difficult time.

Original information from June 2022:

Steve and Bethany Tabacchi need our support, and we are so grateful for any help you can provide. On May 19th, Steve went to the hospital experiencing pain and fever, expecting to get a prescription and be on his way home. Instead, he was admitted to the hospital, underwent many tests, and soon found himself in a fight for his life. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed that Steve has acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and his body was struggling to fight off an infection. By his third day in the hospital, Steve was in the ICU on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma. While in the coma, Steve was airlifted to University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor and received his first round of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the leukemia didn’t respond to this treatment, and Steve’s diagnosis was elevated to the highest risk level associated with AML. Despite this challenge, Steve fought harder than even his doctors expected and woke up 9 days later, ready to continue the fight. He is undergoing intensive occupational and physical therapy to strengthen his muscles and relearn skills his body forgot while in the coma, including how to walk. He was able to eat regular food for the first time this week and continues to make excellent progress.

Steve just completed a 5-day chemotherapy course this week, with the goal of putting the leukemia into remission. Due to his high risk diagnosis, Steve’s only option for a long-lasting treatment is a bone marrow transplant. It is necessary to replace his bone marrow in order to stop the leukemia from recurring. In order to qualify for a transplant, the leukemia must be in remission and Steve must be strong enough to undergo the procedure.

Later this month, Steve will undergo another bone marrow biopsy to determine if the AML is in remission. An additional obstacle to a successful transplant is finding a matching donor. Immediate family are the best candidates, with about a 25% chance of a match, so we need lots of prayers that Steve’s brother or one of his children is a match. If none of his immediate family members are a match, the doctors will attempt to find a donor from the national donor registry, which generally has a 70% match rate. Between now and the end of June, Steve will remain at U of M. He may be able to go home in between the biopsy and the transplant, and he will be hospitalized again for at least 30 days for the transplant. Following a successful transplant, Steve will need to be monitored 24/7 for 3 months and will be unable to work while he recovers, which means he won’t have any income during this time.

As you can imagine, the past few weeks have been very difficult. One of Steve and Bethany’s biggest concerns is making sure that their two children have what they need while Steve focuses on gaining strength and Bethany spends most of her time at the hospital supporting him. Bethany’s parents are taking care of the kids right now, balancing school, dance, baseball, and all of the everyday challenges that Steve and Bethany would usually take on. We proposed the idea of this page to them in the hope that we could take the worry of financial stability off of their minds, allowing them to focus completely on Steve’s road to recovery. We are extremely grateful for any support you can provide and ask that you please share this page with those you know who may also be able to lend support. Please keep the prayers coming - they truly are making a difference!