Michael W. Libro
Community Hero 2005
Michael, 13, really knows his way around the soccer field. In fact, he’s never met a soccer ball he didn’t like. His favorite food is macaroni and cheese; favorite school subject, art. When asked to list his best friends, Michael rattles off several names, including Dickens, his loyal canine buddy who trots behind him everywhere he goes.
Since 2003, Michael has courageously battled Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, a malignant disease of the blood and bone marrow that strikes an estimated 11,000 Americans annually. Last year, when chemotherapy failed, Michael underwent a stem cell transplant. After a relapse several months ago, Michael is now awaiting a donor lyphocyte infusion.
Michael says that living with AML has given him the opportunity to do some special things, like creating a Nike shoe to help raise money for a local Children’s Hospital where he was treated. “Since Michael has been diagnosed, he’s held onto his faith and happiness,” says Lorry, his mother. “He is such a brave person. When you see Michael today, you notice him by his smile.”
What is Michael’s advice to others like him? Stay strong and positive.
