Meet Marciano Rosa, a brave young warrior born on December 9, 2013, who faced an unexpected battle with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. His journey began when his mom, Gianna Morea, noticed changes in his skin color, accompanied by signs of fatigue and coldness. Marciano had been playing basketball when they noticed that he was becoming extremely tired. As a concerned mother, she took Marciano to the emergency room on November 5th, 2022, when she observed him looking paler than usual with dry, white lips.
The following Monday, after a series of tests, doctors delivered the heart-wrenching news to Gianna—Marciano had leukemia. With the diagnosis in hand, a decision was made on which hospital to pursue treatment. Marciano and his mom were then transported to RWJ in New Brunswick, where they embarked on a 31-day stay after initially spending three days at Barnabas.
Although Marciano is now in remission, he continues to battle this disease. Marciano's chemotherapy journey is set to conclude in March 2025, culminating in a triumphant bell-ringing ceremony, marking his victory over Leukemia. Throughout this challenging experience, Marciano has demonstrated remarkable resilience and courage.
Marciano is an avid fan of basketball, particularly admiring Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. With a heartfelt desire to witness his favorite team in action, we had the privilege of donating two tickets for Marciano and his mom to attend the Warriors vs. Knicks game on February 29th at Madison Square Garden. As an extra touch, a pair of Nike Dunks was included, adding a special touch to this unforgettable experience for Marciano. Through these efforts, we aim to bring moments of joy and inspiration to brave warriors like Marciano as they continue their journey toward healing.
Upon meeting the family, we noticed how incredibly smart Marciano is. He is so understanding of not only what he is going through, but what he needs to do to overcome this battle. He is extremely focused and has an incredible support system in his family and friends, who continue to help him maintain focused by sharing the same diet and even shaving their heads when Marciano lost his hair.
We continue to meet wonderful people and this visit was just another amazing family going through something so tough. Marciano, we love you and we will continue to pray for you! Your life is going to be filled with a ton of happiness, success, and most importantly, health!