For five years, Josephine DiMiceli, owner of Sage & Company, has dedicated a day to cutting hair to raise funds to fight childhood cancer.
Calling it a “cut-a-thon,” the staff saw a stream of people who came in for haircuts and to make donations over an eight hour period on Jan. 15.
Part of the reason has to do with how many times she and other members of her staff had to hear heart-wrenching tales of childhood death due to cancer.
One customer, Marie Costantino lost her son Anthony eight years ago. Sharon Romano lost her son Michael last year. Michael Romano died in October 2005 from cancer.
In January 1999, Michael complained of a stomach ache. Doctors soon discovered Michael suffered from neuoblastoma, a cancer of the nerve cells.
This is the second most common kind of cancer in children.
“We need to raise money and awareness,” Costantino said. “While the survival rate for children has risen to more 70 percent, we need to make sure it reaches 100 percent.”
Despite the progress in finding cures, childhood cancer remains the biggest killer of kids, and Costantino said research is the key to a cure.
Her son, Anthony, died of a type of children’s cancer at age 11, and he became a symbolic figure for the haircutters – a face they can envision as to why they need to raise funds.
Marie once described Anthony as a comedian.
“He would show up at the dinner table dressed like Elvis, with his hair slicked back, singing,” she said. “And he never took his illness seriously.”
At age seven, Anthony complained of a stomach ache. The doctor detected a lump and during the CAT scan, technicians looked grave.
Two possible tumors sent the boy into immediate surgery. But for Marie, seeing other children at the hospital alarmed her as well
“To see how many kids – babies to teens – have cancer. If that doesn’t slap you in the face! How do kids get cancer?” she asked.
Later, doctors told her Anthony suffered from a form of children’s cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma.
Anthony endured long treatments, with many complications.
“But he never gave up on it,” Maria said He was an avid football fan and demanded to be kept informed about his condition and treatment. One doctor called him a 21-year-old man in a seven-year-old boy’s body.
After eight months of treatment, Anthony seemed cured, gained weight, and went back to school work. But his parents were uneasy.
Two years later the cancer re-appeared. The boy fought to survive and again seem to respond, only to get diagnosed for a third time a few months later and then later passed away.
After Anthony lost his battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, Marie remembered her fun-loving son saying, “Mom, just do something so other kids won’t suffer like I do. There’s gotta be something we can do.” Costantino, who serves as the chairperson for the Bayonne-based Hudson County chapter of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, said “We hear stories all the time about kids who have cancer. Every year, 50,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer.”
“This is why we’re here,” Romano said. “It hits home. Kids are fighters and we have to keep fighting for the kids.”
“We do it every year,” said Betty Castaldo.
So once a year, people come to Sage & Company at 367 Broadway near 17th Street, pay $15 for a haircut with the cost donated to fight cancer.
Tax deductible donations are also accepted at Sage, and checks can be dropped off made out to the NCCF in memory of Anthony or can be mailed to Marie Costantino, Hudson County chairperson for the NCCF, 26 W 41st Street, Bayonne, NJ 07002.