'She truly is a miracle' — Cancer now in young girl's past
Angela Fazzini doesn't remember much about the tumultuous years of her early childhood.
But those were the days her parents and family will never forget.
A pretty, energetic and happy 12-year-old, Angie, as she's called by family and friends, seems to be the picture of perfect health with a smile that could light up any room.
But Angie has endured more at her young age than most people do in a lifetime.
Just as she was about to turn 5 in 1995, Angie was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma.
Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroepithelial tumor is a rare disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the bone.
The most common areas in which it occurs are the pelvis, the thigh bone (femur), the upper arm bone (humerus) and the ribs. Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroepithelial tumor most frequently occurs in teenagers.
In Angie's case however, a large, malignant tumor was found near her brain. Her parents, Anita Fazzini, of Perryopolis, and Mike Fazzini, of Donora, became concerned when their daughter complained of pain in her neck.
She was sent to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where her parents were dealt the devastating news that their little girl had cancer.
"It was just the worst day of my life," Anita Fazzini recalled. "Our life hasn't been the same since."
The news was equally as devastating for her father.
"There is nothing that can ever prepare you for something like that," Mike Fazzini said. "I can still remember it like it was yesterday."
Anita Fazzini quit her job as a nurse at Jefferson Regional Medical Center to care for Angie.
Mike Fazzini works at Allegheny Power's Mitchell Power Station in New Eagle.
Her parents met when Mike Fazzini was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. He was in the Army Reserve when Angie was diagnosed, but received an honorable discharge because of her illness.
Their son, Anthony, now 15, was born in Germany.
The couple has since divorced.
Following Angie's diagnosis, she remained in the hospital for quite some time. She underwent surgery and doctors were able to remove 60 percent of the tumor.
She immediately started chemotherapy and then radiation.
"She's a real trooper -- she never complained once," Anita Fazzini said.
About six weeks later, she was able to come home -- just in time for Christmas that year.
During that time, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania sent Angie, her parents and her brother to Walt Disney World in Orlando.
"I do remember going there because everyone was bald like me," Angie said.
Angie was progressing and went back to school at Donora Elementary Center where she was a cheerleader.
Her life was upset again the following October when tests showed she had developed a tumor on her lung.
"That was a big shock to us," Anita Fazzini said.
Angie's parents learned that her only chance for beating the cancer would be a stem cell transplant -- an experimental treatment at the time. They were told that if she relapsed after the transplant, she would only have about eight months to live.
Angie was only the third patient to have that type of transplant at Children's Hospital.
Miraculously, Angie underwent the stem cell transplant and came through it with flying colors.
"Everyone was real surprised how she responded," her dad said.
Angie continued to undergo scans every three months for the first year and then every six months.
During that time, she regained her health, her blonde hair started growing back, and she was able to become another regular kid in the classroom.
"Her teachers and friends were all wonderful," Anita Fazzini said. "Her kindergarten teacher, Rosalyn Malarbi, even volunteered to tutor her at home when she was sick so she wouldn't get behind in school."
Mike Fazzini also credits the support of his family and colleagues at Allegheny Power, especially members of United Utility Workers of America Local 102 K for holding fund-raisers to help pay for her medical expenses.
"Everyone was so great to us. Words can't describe it," he said.
Reaching a milestone
Angie's parents readily admit that each time they take their daughter for a scan, they're nervous wrecks.
But this past January, when Angie went in for her regular check-up, she had reached the milestone of being five years in remission.
She is now considered to be cancer-free.
It's an emotional subject for her parents, but Angie is all smiles and is more concerned with talking about school and friends.
Two homes, lots of love
Angie and her brother Anthony divide their time between their parents' homes.
While their mom and her boyfriend, Frank Pendo, live in Perryopolis, they decided to keep them in Ringgold School District to avoid disrupting their schooling. Pendo is a supervisor at Guardian Industries in Jefferson Hills and has his own business, Residential Electric Contractors.
Anita Fazzini has since returned to work as a nurse on the oncology floor at Jefferson. Dealing with her daughter's cancer has helped her with patients.
"I can now tell people that I know exactly what they're going through," Anita Fazzini said.
Her mother, Theresa Traber, still lives in Germany, and the family visits occasionally.
Angie is now a sixth-grader and is a cheerleader. Her bedroom is adorned with posters of pop music stars Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne and rapper 50 Cent. She's also a fan of the popular cartoon character "SpongeBob SquarePants."
Their household is just like any other. Anita Fazzini said her kids often argue about who gets to use the computer.
"They're always fighting over it because they like to use the instant messenger to talk to friends," she said.
The only reminder that Angie is a cancer survivor is that she takes daily hormone growth shots, because she is behind in her physical growth.
But during her last doctor's visit, Angie learned she grew 2 inches and is making steady progress.
"I'm not that worried about it, though," Angie said.
Angie and her brother also spend a lot of time at their dad's home in Donora. Mike Fazzini recently remarried and he and his wife, Gina, bought a home in Gastonville. His wife works as a nurse at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh.
A 1984 Ringgold High School graduate, Mike Fazzini is a lifelong Donoran. He is the son of Mario Fazzini, of Fayette City, and Carole Fazzini, of Donora.
Angie is a self-confessed "Daddy's girl."
"Yeah, she gets everything she wants pretty much," Mike Fazzini said, smiling.
He admits Angie is "spoiled," but no one agrees with that more than her older brother.
"She definitely gets everything she wants," Anthony said, laughing.
Anthony, Ringgold High School freshman, admits it wasn't easy being Angie's brother when she was dealing with cancer.
"I was just a little kid so I didn't really understand," Anthony said. "I just remember getting shuffled around a lot and missing out on things my friends got to do."
Anthony now keeps busy throwing discus for the school's track team and is training and lifting weights to join the football team in the fall.
Because he was born in Germany, Anthony will have to decide upon his 18th birthday whether he will be an American or a German citizen.
He plans on following his dad's footsteps and joining the U.S. military.
"I'd love to be stationed in Germany," Anthony said, noting he has a fondness for his birth country and would like to be close to his grandmother.
Looking back, Anthony says now he realizes more about his little sister's ordeal and how scary it was for his parents.
"I know now how much she went through," Anthony said.
Mike Fazzini is hoping the growth hormone shots will help Angie catch up in size. He has a little chart in his kitchen where he keeps track of her height.
"But I don't want her to grow up too fast," he said.
Moving on
Angie says she doesn't recognize the little bald, pale girl in old family photos.
"I look so funny," she said, grinning.
But those are memories her parents will never forget.
"I just thank God every day for giving us back our daughter," Mike Fazzini said. "She truly is a miracle."
Wolford can be reached at swolford@tribweb.com or 724-684-2640.
