GIVING BACK A chance to fight cancer with brother and friend

John Marsco and Ken Rovnak are seeking donations to help battle the disease.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
John Marsco and Ken Rovnak.
Two separate cases, but one objective.
Marsco, of Cortland, a strong supporter of Howland High athletics, has sarcoma, a soft-tissue cancer.
Rovnak, of Boardman, has incorporated roadrunning in his personal campaign to remember a brother who passed away in 1999.
Bluntly stated, what's being sought by both Rovnak and friends of Marsco is monetary support.
"His insurance is being dropped this month," the Rev. James Burns Jr. of Warren Morgandale Church of the Nazarene said of Marsco. "We've worked the chains together and have become friends over the years," he said of their duties on the sidelines during Howland football games.
In addition to working the sidelines, Marsco, 39, handles timekeeping, scorekeeping and announcing for several sports, including basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Burns, Howland activities director Bruce Johnson and Marsco's sister, Mary Jane O'Malley, organized a spaghetti dinner to help offset medical costs and other expenses.
"He's a fighter," Johnson said.
The dinner is Sept. 26 at St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Cortland from 1-5 p.m. The donation amount for the John Marsco Jr. Cancer Benefit Fund is $6.
Proceeds from tailgating prior to Howland's game with Salem on Oct. 1 will also be used toward fighting Marsco's life-threatening illness.
Honoring memory
Ken Rovnak has resurrected his brother's memory via running.
Andy Rovnak, who survived two forms of lymphoma, died of complications from an infection at age 34. Before he got sick, Andy was running 14 miles a day.
During his ordeal, Andy, who was a registered nurse, ran for therapy, but also entered races to raise money for others fighting for their lives.
"He felt he had a lot to give back to families or patients," Ken Rovnak said. "He was big at helping other people, both in his job, but more outside of work. He was also involved with charities that helped survivors."
The Rock 'n Roll Marathon in San Diego in 1998 was Andy's big goal. In return for raising money for the Leukemia Society via Team-in-Training, he received hotel and airfare expenses.
"He raised a significant amount of money," Ken Rovnak said of his brother's effort.
Paying tribute
Ken, 33, picked up where his brother left off, but not right away. He started running in earnest about a year after Andy died.
"I worked out off and on, but didn't get into it until I ran the Columbus Marathon in 2002," he said. "The thought of running 26 miles never crossed my mind."
Running was also therapy for Ken, who moved from South Carolina to Boardman almost two years ago, but Andy was his inspiration.
"In a kind of weird-type way, I feel better, like I'm running with him," he said. "I'm trying to raise money in his name to go to the Leukemia Society. I know he'd still be doing different charities and helping out other people."
Toward that end, Ken, also a nurse at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, hopes to raise money in Andy's name by running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. on Oct. 31.
Donations to the Leukemia Society may be made by calling Rovnak at (330) 559-3063.
He isn't shooting for any particular dollar amount, but he'd be very pleased if he could raise as much as Andy raised -- over $3,000.
"If I raise enough, the Society sends a plaque with Andy's name on it," he said.
bassetti@vindy.com