Chronology
March 31, 2006
Giovannimaria was BORN in Rome in the Holy Family Clinic.
May 24, 2006
He receives BAPTISM by the hands
of don Antonio Pinzello in the Basilica
of Saint Eugene Pope in Rome.
October 2007
At 18 months, after a first abdominal ultrasound,
he is diagnosed with GanglioNeuroblastoma
in the Pediatric Clinic of the Sapienza Polyclinic.
December 8, 2007
After two courses of chemotherapy, that are ineffective for the type
of cancer, a very difficult and dangerous surgery is required
for the life of Gio.
Doctor Michael La Quaglia, pediatric surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center MSKCC in New York, performs the FIRST SURGERY on Gio,
19 December, after immediate transfer due to the risk of aortic throttling.
25-31 December 2007
In the 10-hour surgery,
the professor La Quaglia removes
the tumor and the right kidney, necrotic for some time.
The biopsy of the mass removed
it is favorable and oncologists assure excellent prospects of
total remission of the disease.
After a quick recovery, Gio was discharged from the hospital and returns to Rome, to the great surprise of his doctors.
February-October 2008
The first postoperative checkup
of February was at the MSKCC and subsequent ones at Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù OPBG
in Rome. The pediatric oncologist
Alessandro Jenkner confirms
the success of the treatments.
November 30, 2009
After a year and a half of checks,
and a few months of kindergarten at the Petranova International School in Rome
with his sisters, the disease has
the second relapse. Gio starts new cycle of chemo at OPBG, in coordination
with the MSKCC cancer staff and undergoes a SECOND SURGICAL INTERVENTION in the abdomen in New York. The surgery is successful and he resumes a peaceful life with the check-ups. Receives the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Gio is 3 and a half years old.
7 October 2010
In August during the holiday
to the sea (Cala di Forno GR), Gio has the THIRD RELAPSE in the disease. Diagnosed by MSKCC as a very rare form of soft tissue neuroblastoma. We return
in New York to try experimental therapy at home and in the regime
day-hospital, less invasive than
a bone marrow transplant.
The whole family moves
with him. He is 4 years old.
March 2011
Gio makes his first trip to Disney World, Orlando Florida with his sisters and mom, in agreement with the medical staff of the MSKCC, in preparation to the next intervention.
11 March 2011
Gio undergoes at the MSKCC the
THIRD SURGICAL INTERVENTION
and a course of post-operative chemo. Receives the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
April 21, 2011 Holy thursday
Not having had good results in the remission of the disease, a
FOURTH SURGERY immediately after his 5th birthday.
July - August 2011
Gio undergoes radiotherapy and after a quick recovery, he joins his family
in Italy, in Rome, and in Montagnana and made some pilgrimages. Back in New York,
attends the Saint Ignatius de Loyola Nursery School.
April-June 2012
The disease resumes and Gio has
a powerful immunological reaction and antibodies attack not only cancer cells but also those
of the cerebellum.
Second trip to Orlando. Despite
the various complications and new therapies, manages to attend
the Nursery graduation in June.
13 June 2012,
Feast of St. Anthony of Padua
Receives the First Communion
from the hands of Father Jordan Kelly OP in Santa Caterina da Siena.
He is 6 years old.
The Church is filled with school friends, by those Communion and Liberation and the prayer group of San Pio. He insisted on receiving Jesus in the Eucharist since Corpus Domini feast of 2011.
19 July 2012
At the end of a day of aggravation of the disease, who had prompted the doctors to announce his imminent death, Gio receives the CONFIRMATION.
On p. Michael O'Connor OP who asked which saint he chose for Confirmation, replied " The Johns are already all with me, I choose the cousin of Jesus ..... Saint Judas Thaddeus".
After receiving the Sacrament,
the tumor that was choking
some vital arteries, suddenly necrotizes
and Gio regains his strength.
22 July 2012
Gio is the protagonist of
an extraordinary recovery and is discharged from the hospital.
The disease remains frozen and resumes an ordinary life between school and ceck-ups and home.
January-February 2013
Upon returning from the Christmas holidays spent in Rome, the ascites arises due to the unusual rupture of the lymphatic vessels and Gio begins a strict diet and undergoes a new hospitalization in intensive care.
Father Enrique Salvo often visits him both in hospital and at home.
March 12, 2013
The day of discharge after
two weeks of hospitalization and heavy chemo, the mothers of the
Scuola d'Italia 'Guglielmo Marconi' organize a big party
in his honor for fundraising
to help the family.
March 31, 2013, EASTER
On his 7th birthday , on the feast of Easter , Gio participates in the Mass at Saint Catherine of Siena, at the end of which Father Jordan Kelly OP offers him his best wishes also on behalf of the community.
Then we celebrate at home with the family. Unable to eat due to ascites, Gio tastes two tortellini brought by her grandmother from Italy and blows out the candles on a cake
of red jelly.
April - May 2013
During hospitalization,
due to aggravation,
Gio expresses his passion for
music and singing, thanks also to the music therapist Alessandro Ricciarelli.
May 18, 2013
When it became clear to the doctors and to us that there was nothing left to do. Upon his request, we brought Gio home, to our apartment in New York, where we accompanied him in his journey to his 'new life'.
While we assisted Gio with the palliative care indicated by a friend pediatrician, we prayed incessantly with his sisters and the grandfather who had recently arrived from Italy, the rosary and the chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The priests who came to greet us, Father Jordan, Father Katz and, every day, Father Enrique joined us. They prayed united to us from Italy, from Nigeria also many friends, consecrated and parishes.
May 30, 2013
Feast of Corpus Domini
The moment of Giovannimaria's journey to 'new life' in Christ was one of pure grace and pure beauty.
A delivery from the tortured heart of a mother who, thanks to the presence of the Virgin Mary,
gave birth to her son in heaven and tenderly placed him in the hands of Heavenly Father, uttering simple inner words three times
"Father into your hands I commit the spirit of my son Giovannimaria".
GIO was born to Heaven
