43
Struthers co-workers to host spaghetti dinner for Boardman's 'Iron Man'
BOARDMAN
The Massacci family all agree it was by bad luck alone that Vincent Massacci, 9, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma — a rare childhood cancer that stems from muscle cells.
Becky Massacci, his stepmother, said Vincent was playing flag football one Sunday in September, but within three days, it was nonstop hospital trips for him.
“He was with his mom, [Kathryn Massacci], when she noticed a piece of gummy candy stuck in his throat,” Becky said. “She looked down his throat and it seemed real swollen, so he was rushed to the ER.”
Becky said doctors thought it was tonsillitis, but after seeing a pediatrician and a throat doctor, they knew it was something worse. Doctors at the Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron reported by the end of September that Vincent had rhabdomyosarcoma.
“It’s a big, long, scary, oh-my-god word,” Becky said. “But what it really is, is a rare muscular cancer in children.”
“We wondered if we gave him the wrong things to eat or if it was genetic,” said Michael Massacci, his father. “And all doctors could say was it was just bad luck — a single cell that didn’t do what it was supposed to do.”
Becky said Vincent was taken out of Robinwood Lane Elementary School after diagnosis to be home-schooled since he has doctors trips throughout the week. She said the family calls Vincent “Iron Man” now because he has a port in his chest for chemotherapy that looks like a device Iron Man would have.
“He’s also very strong and brave like Iron Man,” she said. “We think he’s taking all this better than us.”
Almost immediately after hearing news of Vincent’s illness, Missy Tomko-Bishop, a friend and co-worker of Becky’s, decided to plan a spaghetti dinner for Vincent and his family in Struthers. About 25 other workers from Maplecrest nursing home in Struthers also decided to pitch in, along with people from churches in the area.
“I have children of my own, and I couldn’t imagine having a child sick like that,” Tomko-Bishop said.
Tomko-Bishop said the event will be a spaghetti dinner with a bake sale and basket auction. It will take place 3 to 7 p.m. Friday in St. Nicholas Great Hall at 764 Fifth St., Struthers.
She said she made a goal to get 500 people to the event.
While Vincent won’t be able to attend the spaghetti dinner because his immune system is still too weak from chemotherapy, Michael said other family members will be there.
“It’s really awesome what the Maplecrest people are doing for us,” Michael said. “Missy, she’s given us so much and doesn’t expect much in return.”
Becky said Vincent seems to be doing OK since the cancer is not moving from his throat. She said her stepson will go through radiation treatment full time at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron starting Dec. 1.