The Magros of Hicksville were an ordinary Long Island family, but everything changed in 2004, when Terrie and Paul Magro and their sons Michael and Mark were thrust into a situation that is unfathomable. Mark was just 11 years old when Terrie and Paul heard the words that would change their lives forever: “Your child has cancer.” It was St. Patrick’s Day.
While Mark was undergoing cancer treatment, Michael, who was 13, came down with flu-like symptoms. It was Memorial Day weekend. One week later, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Both of their children were battling cancer. At the same time.
“I’m a nurse and their mom and I’m thinking, clinically this can’t be happening,” Terrie says.
On July 30, Michael died.
“Michael never had a chance,” Terrie says with tears in her eyes. “He was 13 and a half, and everything [the cancer] only escalated. He couldn’t fight anymore.”
Terrie and Paul had just lost their son, yet they still had to bring Mark for his last radiation treatment the day after Michael died.
“Their schedules were just bizarre,” Terrie says of their overlapping chemotherapy sessions.
Watching your brother die from the disease for which you are still being treated must have been terrifying.
“Mark was only 11 years old, watching this unfold. I would try to find a glimmer of hope, but I never lied [to him],” she says. “Mark trusted me.”
There’s nothing that can give a family solace after losing a child. Even though they knew that Michael was at peace and no longer suffering, the Magros’ pain would never go away and they wanted to honor Michael’s memory.
There are so many things happening in a family during such a traumatic time besides the illness, and the Magros wanted to help alleviate some of the stress that these families go through. They knew firsthand how an illness can wreak havoc on a family’s budget.
“We were lucky. We had the support of family and friends,” Terrie says, and adds that some of the parents who are dealing with their child being ill don’t have a lot of support, and the extra expenses that are incurred can create an enormous amount of stress on top of everything else. Medical co-payments can run into the hundreds of dollars every month, combined with the extra food and toiletry expenses and it can add up really fast. “You can’t work full time and have a child going through chemotherapy,” Terrie says. “It’s either a leave of absence or quit your job. All you can think about is your child and the treatment they’re going through. You’ve cut your income or are taking days off. You can’t do it all at some point.”
“We can cry, or we can do something and turn this tragedy into helping other people. Michael was such a great kid. He wanted to motivate people. He was a peacemaker,” Terrie says proudly.
Terrie came up with the idea of a gift card program that would be funded through the Michael Magro Foundation (MMF) to be used to purchase necessities like gas, food and other items. They also wanted to contribute petty cash for meals or other incidentals.
The Magros felt it was important to include Michael’s friends in the foundation’s mission.
“It’s one thing for someone to write a check, but this is a learning experience for these kids,” says Terrie. “It’s nice to have them involved in this kind of philanthropy. This is about kids and they relate to this, because they knew Michael.”
Terri continues, “Michael was only in the seventh grade when he passed away. He played lacrosse for the Hicksville Middle School.”
Michael loved penguins, and in his memory they are prominently displayed in the Magro house. In a tribute to Michael, the MMF logo is a penguin attired in a hockey jersey with Michael’s number, 33, holding a lacrosse stick.
Over the past few years Terrie and Paul have worked hard on many events and fundraisers and because of their efforts the MMF has had a huge impact on many local families. The foundation works very closely with the Cancer Center for Kids facility in Mineola, and has funded their penguin-themed exam room and have given their financial support to the center’s child-life specialists, who focus on the emotional and developmental needs of children using play and other forms of communication to help them cope with their situation in a positive manner.
“We have embraced that department,” Terrie says. “The foundation purchases the supplies they need for their art and music therapy programs.”
The MMF instituted another important program called Project SOAR (School Re-Entry Ongoing Academic Resources) whose goal is to ensure that every child is afforded the opportunity for a smooth and successful transition when returning to school after absences due to a major illness, by working with the child, their family, teachers and classmates.
“The foundation is underwriting the whole program,” Terrie says proudly. “Project SOAR will be national. We can bring this program to places that are not as well serviced as Long Island.”
This year, Mark will celebrate his five-year cancer survivor milestone. He just passed his road test and is looking at colleges. Michael would have been graduating high school in June. More than 30 of Michael’s and Mark’s friends attended the MMF fundraiser in October that raised more than $80,000. Michael’s friends and family are ensuring that his legacy will continue by helping thousands of other Long Island children and their families who have been affected by a major illness.
For more information about the Michael Magro Foundation, call Terrie at 516-935-4510, e-mail her at [email protected] or visit www.michaelmagrofoundation.com.
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