Rutgers University Athletics

5-Year-old Genevieve Claire Bonk of Somerset was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2018, when she was just 13 months old.

A patient at Somerset Pediatrics, she was immediately referred to the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her family met with the medical team to discuss a treatment plan, which would include Chemotherapy for more than two years.

The caring and compassionate teams of healthcare professionals at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, helped Genevieve and her family navigate her journey, and while there were many challenging moments, she completed treatments on May 30th of 2020...and is Cancer Free today!

Genevieve Claire, who will turn six in December, attends kindergarten at Saint Matthias School in Somerset. She is an active young girl who enjoys dance (ballet, tap and acro), swimming, biking and walking her loving dog, Lucy.

When 13-year-old Sofia Camacho was involved in a car accident that left her badly injured, she was rushed to the Pediatric Emergency Department at The Bristol Myers Squibb Children's Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick.

Sofia arrived in profound shock and was quickly resuscitated by the trauma team. She suffered a liver hemorrhage, pelvic fracture, and a serious injury to her left thigh.

Throughout her time at BMSCH, Sofia was treated by a variety of surgeons, physicians, and care teams. She underwent abdominal and orthopedic surgery, worked with interventional radiologists and plastic surgeons, and spent time recovering in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Sofia's motivation through her traumatic injury and long recovery was her wish to return to school. Her nurses and doctors were moved by her love for learning, as well as her positive attitude and bright smile.

This year, The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital is celebrating its 20th anniversary of caring for kids just like Sofia.

8-year-old Nate and 6-year-old Wren Cavarretta from Wall Township were born with Cystic Fibrosis, a disorder that causes problems with breathing and digestion.

Due to their condition, they take pancreatic enzymes prior to every meal or snack, and must do nebulized therapy everyday followed by a specialized therapy vest treatment to clear their lungs...all while maintaining a positive attitude.

Nate and Wren are patients at the Cystic Fibrosis Center at The Unterberg Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. Led by Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology Dr. Robert Zanni, an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group provider, the entire medical team is always accommodating, while providing the necessary comfort and care to help the kids through daily challenges.

For those living with Cystic Fibrosis, exercise is very important to maintain good health, and both kids are very active. Nate plays baseball for the North Wall Little League, and he made the All-Star Team this year, while Wren takes dance lessons and will be participating on the competition dance team. They also enjoy soccer, basketball and swimming.

13-year-old Amanda was diagnosed with amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome, also known as AMPS, in 2019. AMPS is a condition that causes normal pain sensations to be stronger and more intense than usual which resulted in Amanda being in extreme pain for every minute of every day.

After her diagnosis, she was admitted to the chronic pain management inpatient program at Children's Specialized Hospital (CSH). There, Amanda spent over a month receiving regular physical, occupational, and aqua therapy, along with psychological services that not only helped her develop coping mechanisms but also educated her about her condition and provided her with the tools she needed to move forward.

Since then, Amanda is back in school and feeling better each day. She still experiences flare ups of pain but she is utilizing the coping skills she learned at CSH and not dwelling on the pain. These coping skills have empowered Amanda to take back control of her life and get back to enjoying her favorite sports and activities like basketball, dance, art and drama.

Born as a triplet at 28 weeks, Jared spent the first 12 weeks of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit, and Jared's been a fighter ever since.

A brain scan at six weeks old showed white spots on Jared's brain, indicating periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), a neurological disorder caused by a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain. Six months later, Jared experienced an onset of seizures and spent three months in intensive care. However, Jared’s battle wasn’t over yet. Two years later, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Since 2016, the Gaedt family has brought Jared to renowned specialists at West Park Pediatrics, part of the RWJBarnabas Health medical group and an affiliate of Monmouth Medical Center.

Today, Jared is surrounded by a great support system including his loving parents, sisters, grandparents and a dedicated medical team. As Jared has courageously faces PVL, seizures and cerebral palsy, his contagious energy, happiness and zest for life have remained strong.

After enduring a stroke at birth, 17-year-old Dominick Grasso was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and had limited use of his left side. While learning to deal with his health challenges, Dominick's positive attitude and commitment to overcome obstacles was evident.

In 2018, to help regain motion on his left side/left arm, Dominick received a tendon transfer surgery at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Thanks to an incredible team of medical experts led by Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Deidre Bielicka from the RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, and the occupational and physical therapists at Children's Specialized Hospital's Toms River Outpatient Center - where he still attends weekly sessions - Dominick is active and thriving today.

A junior at Keansburg High School, Dominick competes on the high school bowling team, and just accomplished one of his biggest goals...he received his driver's license.

At 9-days old, brothers Liam and Nolan were both diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a progressive, genetic disease that causes lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

They are patients of Dr. Robert Zanni, Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology at the Unterberg Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center.

The Harm brothers aren't allowing cystic fibrosis to hold them back. Nolan plays soccer year-round and is the point guard for his school's basketball team. Liam is a runner at Christian Bothers Academy.

12-year-old Anthony Labin of Westfield suffered a traumatic head injury on July 11th of this year, when a line drive hit him directly in the temple and knocked him unconscious as he was on the mound pitching in a baseball game at Cooperstown Dreams Park.

He was airlifted to Albany Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery for a fractured skull before being transferred to Children's Specialized Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health facility in New Brunswick, to begin his road to recovery.

Due to the injury, he suffers from aphasia, which impacts his speech and ability to communicate, but, thanks to his incredible family support system and the caring medical team at Children's Specialized Hospital, Anthony is making remarkable progress.

After recently completing his final surgery to replace his skull flap, Anthony started back to half days at school, while continuing outpatient therapy at Children's Specialized Hospital in Union, with hopes to be back on the diamond next year.

On January 8, 2019, LJ was being pushed in his stroller when a vehicle jumped the curb and hit him from behind sending LJ airborne, landing 70 feet from where he was hit. He was on life support, requiring brain surgery for life threatening injuries.

Following surgery LJ was transferred to the brain injury program at Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick where the world class clinical care team of specialists developed a rehab program to address his physical and cognitive needs.

Only 10 months since the accident, LJ is on the road to recovery and now attends outpatient therapy sessions at the Children's Specialized Hospital location in Hamilton, closer to his family's home.

In 2016, Ryan was born 16 weeks pre-mature. He suffered from a life-threatening disease, and at just a few days old, underwent emergency surgery to remove damaged parts of his intestine. Ryan's recovery required almost half of an entire year in the hospital!

Thanks to the entire medical team at the children's hospital, Ryan survived and is feeling great.

JJ Mourad of West Caldwell was born with an atria septal defect in his little heart. After spending time in the NICU, it was determined he would eventually need surgery to repair his heart.

Fast forward to February of this year, 5-year-old JJ went to the Children's Heart Center at Children's Hospital of New Jersey, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for surgery to repair his heart. JJ was recently given a clean bill of health, and is an active boy who loves soccer, wrestling, basketball and cooking.

The caring pediatric surgical and nursing team at Children's Hospital of New Jersey's Children's Heart Center was incredible, comforting JJ and his family throughout the process.

A huge sports fan, 7-year-old Jackson Pitts, a 2nd grader from East Orange was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in April of this year. An energetic and active boy, Jackson enjoyed playing football, basketball and learning Karate.

Now, due to his condition, he is enduring multiple treatments each week at Children's Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey--the state's only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center---and the caring and compassionate medical team is ensuring Jackson and his family feel as comfortable as possible throughout his treatments.

While Jackson has transitioned from the athletic fields to becoming an expert gamer during his treatment, he can't wait to get active again.

At an end-of-summer block party in a Belle Mead neighborhood in 2018, then-10 year old Elli Pizzulli accidentally collided with a friend on a bike, causing her to strike her head on the pavement. What Elli's parents assumed to be a concussion, turned out to be a six-centimeter epidural hematoma, a mass of blood between the skull and the brain.

Elli was transported to The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, because of its designation as a pediatric trauma center.

Once she arrived, Elli required emergency surgery to remove the blood clot that was putting pressure on her brain.

Thanks to Elli's team of pediatric trauma surgeons, emergency medicine doctors, and nurses, she was able to recover and return to 5th grade.

Today, she is an active 13-year-old who plays competitive lacrosse, basketball and field hockey.

This year, The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital is celebrating its 20th anniversary of caring for kids just like Elli.

12-year-old Scarlett Stiso a 7th grader from Sayreville was diagnosed with a blood disorder - Beta Thalassemia (Bay-Ta Thal - a -seem- ee-a) at a very young age and has been receiving treatment including blood transfusions every few weeks at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program.

Dr. Richard Drachtman, together with Nurses Dawn Yuhas and Liz Castro, the caring and compassionate medical team at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey--the state's only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with RWJBarnabas Health, has provided exceptional care and helped Scarlett and her family feel as comfortable as possible throughout her treatment.

Scarlett has a sparkly personality, and she will not let her condition slow her down. She enjoys volleyball and plays softball for the Sayreville Little League and her middle school team. She has a great attitude, and always sees the best in everyone around her.

Kevin Stowe is a 16-year-old junior at Immaculata High School in Somerville. He started playing basketball in 4th grade and has loved the game ever since.

In July of this summer, Kevin experienced immense swelling in his upper body, as a large mass was putting pressure on his blood vessels. Kevin was diagnosed with Lymphoma and immediately began treatments at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, under the guidance of Dr. Richard Drachtman, registered Oncology nurse practitioner Dora Delsordo, and a dedicated team of medical experts.

Due to his ongoing treatment schedule, Kevin is unable to compete alongside his teammates for the Immaculata boy's basketball team this season, but he remains the team's #1 fan.

Kevin has an incredible support system including his loving parents, older sister Sarah and twin sister Abby, his teammates, friends and the Immaculata community.

During the summer of 2016, Brian and Heather noticed their 4-year old son Shane wasn't his energetic self. He developed bruising and sores that wouldn't heal, was frequently tired, and could not shake cold-like symptoms.

After going for blood work, the Sullivan's learned Shane had t-cell leukemia and immediately brought him to the world class team at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital of New Jersey to face his cancer battle with a great support team.

As Shane battled t-cell leukemia, enduring several rounds of chemotherapy and hospital stays over the past few years, his contagious smile, energy and positive attitude started to return. He's bravely faced his cancer battle and completed his final chemotherapy session on October 26, 2019 following his induction into knighthood.

8-year-old Ryan was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on March 11, 2019. Following his diagnosis, Ryan was admitted to The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital to undergo treatment for his cancer. While at BMSCH, Ryan received intensive chemotherapy treatments, multiple blood and platelet transfusions, along with many oral medications to fight the disease under the expert care of a team of pediatric hematologists/oncologists, including Drs. Jocelyn Lewis, Susan Murphy and Peter Cole. Following his hospital stay, Ryan's cancer was deemed in remission by his doctor on April 18, 2019.

Since then, Ryan continues to receive weekly medications at home and at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. He will receive these treatments until April 2021.

Through all of the challenges he has faced, Ryan, who was also diagnosed at 18-months-old with autism, continues to have a wonderful outlook and always has a smile on his face. He loves being outdoors and playing on his little league baseball team. When he isn't outdoors, Ryan loves playing with his hot wheels and matchbox cars and legos. Ryan also looks up to his older sister Abigail and always wants to be involved with what she is doing - including serving as her softball team's biggest fan!

His family and friends wear wristbands that read #ryanstrong and "one tough kid." Ryan loves his family and friends and is truly one tough kid.

9-year-old Isaiah Thom, a 4th grader at North Star Academy in Newark, was born premature at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, where doctors detected a heart defect that would require surgery. In 2019, Isaiah went to the children's heart center at Children's Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. There, Isaiah had successful heart surgery to repair his defect. Today, Isaiah is a super active boy: he enjoys playing basketball and hopes to play football for his school soon.

Nine-year-old Miles Walden was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at just six weeks old. Immediately following his diagnosis, Miles was referred by his family's pediatrician to the Cystic Fibrosis Center at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - a national leader in cystic fibrosis care and research.

While under the expert care of Center Medical Director Dr. Thomas Scanlin and his team, Miles and his parents, Kate and Marc, have managed his condition through a twice-daily, two-hour regimen consisting of chest physiotherapy to keep his lungs clear along with oral and nebulized medication therapy.

Despite the challenges he has faced throughout his young life, Miles follows in the athletic footsteps of his mother who was on the Rutgers swim team from 1995-99. He loves to play any sport you can name including basketball, football, baseball, lacrosse and swimming!

After experiencing headaches in early June, 14-year old Anthony Walker went to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, where the medical team identified that fluid from a sinus infection had traveled to his brain and required emergency surgery. The North Brunswick High School freshman must sit out this football season and focus on his recovery...but thanks to the pediatric intensive care unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Anthony's diagnosis is looking positive.

In the fall of 2016, then 9-year old, Hudson was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer in his calf. An active and energetic boy who enjoyed football, lacrosse and wrestling, Hudson was now facing the battle of his life, under the care of Dr. Margaret Masterson and Dr. Rahul Parikh and the world class team from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health.

After a year-long treatment plan that included months of chemotherapy, surgery, an innovative proton therapy treatment and physical therapy, Hudson was on the road to recovery.

Today, surrounded by his loving family and with the support of the medical team from the Rutgers Cancer Institute - New Jersey’s only national cancer institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, Hudson is cancer-free!