Help Marcus Kick Cancer Out!

Update: After weeks of radiation, Marcus rang the bell ! It was not an easy journey. The side effects of radiation and chemotherapy have taken their toll but Marcus continues to fight. He has many more weeks of chemotherapy to go. Please continue to send prayers, thoughts and positive vibes. 

Marcus’s Story

Marcus is the grandson of Nick and Jeanne Bianco. They received sole legal custody of Marcus when he was just 3 years old. They provided for him as parents do, giving him love and support through the years. Marcus is an extremely funny, thoughtful, and outgoing teenager. He enjoys movies, video games, boxing, sports and of course, looking good for the ladies. He’s on the high school football, track, and rugby teams. He is well known in the community as a sweet and kind kid.

The last couple of years have not been easy for Marcus. His world came to a halt, when his grandfather Nick, who he called dad, passed unexpectedly in April 2022, leaving Jeanne a single parent of a teenager and dealing with the loss of her husband. Then on February 5, 2024, almost 2 years to the passing of his dad, Marcus was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a very rare and aggressive soft tissue cancer. Within two months, the cancer spread to his lymph nodes.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a challenging cancer to treat. Because RMS is an aggressive cancer, the treatments must be aggressive as well. Marcus has undergone three surgeries, will receive 22 total weeks of chemotherapy and 23 total weeks of radiation. After and during treatments, he will need various testing such as CT and PET scans, MRIs, Echocardiograms, and many more. Some days are better than others, but the days following chemotherapy are the hardest. Marcus understands the importance of staying positive and when needed, he takes his frustration out on the punching bag.

I started this Go Fund Me account for Marcus, my daughter’s friend. So that he can play sports again, attend school activities and to just be a kid, and to ease the burden of his parent, Jeanne, a single parent with one income. Over the next days, weeks, and months she will need to take time off from work to be at countless doctor appointments, hospital stays and surgeries. I started this fund for the medical bills, travel expenses to and from appointments, for insurance coverage and so much more. I started this account for Jeanne and Nick, who were there for me and my family during my battle with cancer and who have touched so many people with their kindness.

From the bottom of my heart, I ask that you share this link with family and friends and if possible, in giving to this cause. No donation is too small.

Thank you,

Karen Dutkiewicz