“He loved being there, he loved being on the field. He’s just a happy kid.”
Seven-year-old Dominic Mazzio has always been a happy child, fighting to make others around him as happy as he is.
On Aug. 22, Mazzio was a guest of honor at the Trenton Thunder baseball game, which was also including efforts to promote awareness of pediatric cancer.
In 2013, Dominic woke up completely paralyzed. Dominic’s mother, Ashley, said the family later found out Dominic had transverse myelitis — a neurological disease that attacks the spinal cord, affecting the immune system. He spent months re-learning to walk, and doctors monitored him closely with MRIs every three months. In 2014, an MRI found a small lesion, which the family would later find out from the doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was an inoperable brain tumor.
Mazzio said doctors informed her and her husband James that chemotherapy would have little to no effect, but, amazingly, proton radiation stopped the tumor’s growth.
Today, Dominic is stable and attending B. Bernice Young Elementary School.
“Dominic was a guest of honor at a Thunder game in 2016, and they invited him back this year too,” Ashley said. “In two years, around $30,000 was raised to go toward pediatric cancer, which can be used for research.”
Dominic was one of three guests of honor who got to throw out the first pitch prior to the Thunder’s 8–0 victory. Some 20–25 members of the Burlington Township Fire Department also attended the game in support for Mazzio and the fundraiser “Vs. Cancer.”
Vs. Cancer is a non-profit fundraising campaign under the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
Mazzio was named an honorary firefighter in 2016 for BTFD, and saw his nickname, “Dominator,” used as the name for the department’s newest fire engine.
“It was bittersweet to see him honored at the game,” Ashley said. “You don’t like to see him there for medical reasons, but seeing him happy makes us stronger.”
Ashley stated roughly 30 people, including Dominic, shaved their heads following the game in awareness of pediatric cancer. Many fans stayed to watch the head shaving take place and show their respect.
Ashley would like to see continued awareness for pediatric cancer.
“Only 4 percent of research comes to pediatric cancer, which seems very low,” Ashley said. “You hear a lot about other forms of cancer, and I hope pediatric cancer becomes more aware in the community.”
Ashley said she is grateful the Thunder organization reached out for a second consecutive year to highlight him and his fight. Even with his challenges, Dominic has continued to be an inspiration to his family and the community.
“Even through his treatment, Dominic was like the mayor — he knew everyone,” Ashley said. “The community has been a big help to us, while Dominic continues to be happy. Seeing him positive makes us positive.”
For more information regarding Mazzio and Vs. Cancer, check http://www.vs-cancer.org.
