Family's 'little fighter' to get help from community Local PBA, inn and Chamber of Commerce to hold fundraiser for child BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer COURTESY OF THE MONTALTO FAMILY Two-year-old Roman Montalto may have been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December, but his family says he's a fighter. METUCHEN - Two-year-old Roman Montalto may have been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in December, but his family says he's a fighter. "He's always smiling," said his mother, Kathy Montalto, as Roman trots around his father Barry's store, Optic Unique on Main Street, last week. "We call him 'Roman the destroyer' because he's always on the move," Montalto said. "When we would try to take photographs of his brothers, sister and cousins, he would always run off. He definitely has a mind of his own." The Metuchen Policemen's Benevolent Association No. 60, Constantine Papanicolaou of the Metuchen Inn, and the Metuchen Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to host a brunch from noon to 3:30 p.m. June 10 at the Metuchen Inn, 424 Middlesex Ave., to help raise money for the Montalto family. Roman was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is also known as acute lymphocytic leukemia, on Dec. 7, 2006. ALL is a cancer of the blood in which too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced by the bone marrow and by organs of the lymph system. Normally, the lymphocytes fight infection by making antibodies that attack harmful elements. But, in ALL, the cells are immature and overabundant. They crowd out other blood, bone marrow, and lymph tissue. Acute leukemia can occur over a short period of days or weeks. ALL is more common in children than adults, with most children being under the age of 10 when the cancer is found. "The doctors told us that it was better that Roman got the cancer now than later," said Montalto. "They said he was predisposed to get it at some point whether it be now or 15 years from now. It just so happened that the stomach virus that he had, triggered and set off the cancer." Roman's chemo-therapy treatment is for three-and-a-third years, which is anticipated to end by March 2009. After the treatment, the Montaltos will be given a road map on how to take care of their son. On June 1 around 10:30 a.m., Roman, standing 35 inches tall and weighs 23 pounds, is making his rounds up and down Main Street with a pacifier in his mouth and his blue security blanket under his arm. First stop, the Metuchen Savings Bank, where he walks past the line of customers, then on to Frescos for a piece of yellow American cheese. "When he first began chemotherapy, he stopped eating for three to four weeks," said Montalto. "He was down to 19 pounds. When he was regaining his appetite back, he had pointed to yellow American cheese that was in the fridge, and now he will walk up to the fridge and knock on the fridge and also when we go by Frescos. Even when we're in the car and we pass Frescos, we will have to stop. He eats a pound of American cheese three times a week." The doctors told the Montaltos that as long as Roman's eating calories, it doesn't matter what he eats. "They told us it would be better for him to be at his regular weight to handle the chemotherapy treatments," said Montalto. "They hope to get him up to 27 pounds in the next three weeks. They want him to continue eating and chewing because they don't want his belly to stop working. It's also hard because he's also growing taller." Montalto said her son also likes to eat raspberry sorbet from What's the Scoop, and Utz Natural lightly salted kettle-cooked gourmet potato chips. "He also likes walking around saying 'hi' to the ladies at Appearance Plus Day Spa," she said. It all started with what the Montalto family thought was just a stomach virus in November 2006. "Roman just had his flu shot, so I thought the virus was a reaction to the shot," said Montalto. "He had given all of us the stomach flu also, but after we all got better, he got the virus again." After a few weeks on various antibiotics, she said Roman was acting lethargic and started not to stand, which she said was not like her baby at all. "I told the doctor something is wrong with the baby," she said. "They told me to lie him on his back and push his feet. He just screamed." Montalto brought Roman to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick on Dec. 7, 2006, and didn't leave the hospital until two days before Christmas. "The doctor came out around 4 or 5 p.m. and I said to him, 'You don't have a good face on,' " she recalled. "He told me he didn't have good news. I was all by myself with no support because Barry was working. I called him around 5 p.m. and had to tell him over the phone. Barry was just sick over it and immediately closed the store, gathered all the kids and came to meet me in the ER." About 85 percent of the leukemia was in Roman's bone marrow. "The doctors told us there were going to be ups and downs and weight loss due to the treatment," said Montalto. "It's all part of the program. For eight weeks - December to February - he did not walk or speak because of the chemotherapy. Even though he has lost his hair and has a feeding tube, he is actually doing very well today." She said the first three weeks were a blur. "I went into the hospital with Roman and I didn't leave," she said. Montalto said that the doctors and nurses at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick and the Bristol-Meyers Squibb Children's Hospital at RWJUH have been wonderful to their family. The Embrace Kids Foundation, a nonprofit group, also gave support to the Montalto family in ways they did not expect them to. "They brought me laundry soap, a book, earplugs, just the daily necessities I needed," she said. "They also helped us with Christmas presents and donated a Christmas tree. We totally forgot to buy gifts. It was just wonderful." Roman's treatment has interrupted the Montalto family's daily schedule. "I owned my own business and my husband has owned Optic Unique on Main Street for five years," said Montalto. "I had to stop working. We have three other children - Nicole, 16, Zach, 15, and Maxx, 3 1/2." The Montaltos said it has been tough on their whole family. "I was at the hospital with Roman, and my husband works full time at the store," said Montalto. "We went from two incomes to one income for six people. Someone had to cook dinner for my teenagers and Maxx. Someone had to take my daughter to dance. We are thankful that our neighbors have been so gracious. Our neighbors brought dinner over to our house and brought our daughter to dance." The Montaltos said their family friend picks up Maxx from preschool. "He's the only child that we don't have to worry about right now," said Montalto. "He knows that Kelly will pick him up and he loves going to see his friends at preschool. It has been tough for him as a 3-year-old, but now he has a set routine." The Montaltos have entered the early intervention program with the county, and they have a speech and occupational therapy specialist come to help Roman. "After Roman did not walk or speak for eight weeks, the chemotherapy paralyzed his vocal chords and settled in his muscles," said Montalto. "And up until last week, when Roman would be frustrated, he would bang his head against the floor. Now, he puts his hands on his head, which we like so much better." As the Montaltos continue to adjust to various hospital visits and chemotherapy treatments, they said they are getting by. "This disease not only affects Roman, but affects everyone in our family," said Montalto, who said she agreed for Roman's treatment to be part of a study for the doctors. "But the doctors told us not to feel sorry for Roman because he doesn't know he is sick. Even though it stinks, we will get through this. And if Roman's study is able to help other families, then I am more than happy." For more information about the fundraiser, contact Constantine at the Metuchen Inn at (732) 494-6444, the Metuchen Chamber of Commerce at (732) 548-2964, or Joe Ernest of Metuchen PBA Local 60 at (732) 877-9588. Checks may be made payable to Metuchen PBA/Roman Montalto Fund and sent to P.O. Box 4, Metuchen 08840.