Nico, 5 Years, CNS Neuroblastoma

Meet Nico, a 5-year-old strong boy with a contagious smile. You’d never guess he’s undergoing cancer treatment—he’s full of life! I had the privilege of meeting this little guy to deliver his favorite character Lego set, Mario!

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Here is Nico's story, shared by his mom

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This is Nico! He is a 5 year old boy who was diagnosed with CNS Neuroblastoma FOXR2/Activated which is a very rare and aggressive (grade 4) cancer in October 2024. CCMC found a 3” tumor on his brain and within 24 hours started surgery. After a long 9 hour surgery, the tumor was fully removed. Nico has already completed 30 rounds of Proton Radiation Therapy at Mass General Hospital and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at CCMC. This Mario Lego set is so special to the Fazzino Family. Nico loves Mario and his parents used the characters as a way to explain to him what was happening in his body and why he needed to go to the hospital so often. Nico was only 4 when he was diagnosed, how do you explain cancer to a child? After Nico’s surgery he was confused and had a lot of questions. Nico’s dad told him that the tumor in his brain was Bowser, the big bad guy and that they already beat him during his surgery. Then his mom explained that they needed to go through radiation and chemotherapy to fight any goombas or koopa troopas that are left inside his body. This was a way for Nico to understand the fight he was up against.

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Nico lives in the same town as I do. When I first met him, he had never played with a LEGO set before. I had the joy of gifting him his very first one—and he loved it! LEGO quickly became a source of comfort for Nico throughout his treatment. His parents are incredibly thankful that he found something creative and engaging that helped keep him active and positive during such a difficult time.