In recent weeks an outpouring of support has been flowing in for one of our fire families as it is caught in a living nightmare.
Months ago Firefighter Mark Nuovo and his wife Courtney got news that their son James was born with a rare blood disorder called Hypocellular Myelodysplastic Syndrome. It’s so rare that it took doctors around the United States two years to detect.
Little James Nuovo is battling an extremely rare blood disorder that has severely weakened his immune system.
At the age of three James is now facing a life-threatening condition that disrupts his body’s ability to form blood cells properly. That includes white blood cells which has caused his immune system to be severely weakened.
Without a necessary bone marrow transplant his parents say the disorder could cause James to develop an aggressive leukemia that’s hard to treat.
“This is the hardest and most difficult experience I’ve ever dealt with as a husband, father or even as a firefighter,” Nuovo wrote, “As a firefighter I help people. I come to their rescue. I do what I can… what I’m trained to do to help them with their problem, that is my job; I know what to do and how to do it. But when my son became sick, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t help or rescue him. As a father you’re never trained how to prepare for the unimaginable or the unthinkable.”
James is currently on a list to receive a bone marrow transplant through Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Yet Mark and Courtney say while they await news on the procedure medical costs have been adding up.
They say once a donor is found James will have to go through chemotherapy before surgery can take place. After the procedure he will have to stay in Atlanta for at least three months.
On September 19, 2018 the South Carolina State Firefighter’s Association Foundation presented the couple with a check.
The Nuovo’s have received much support from the community. That includes a check that was presented September 19 by the South Carolina State Firefighter’s Association Foundation.
Nuovo’s fellow firefighters have also been hosting fundraisers to lend aid to the family.
A Go Fund Me Page has been set up to help the Nuovo’s. If you would like to offer your support click here.
