UNCASVILLE -- An Uncasville teen, suffering from an aggressive bone cancer is compiling her bucket list, which includes a big time wish to meet the big name pop star, Justin Bieber.
Marissa Satiro, a big believer in miracles, has been fighting for her life for over two years.
“I’ve never dealt with cancer in my family so I was in shock. I knew kids could get it, but just to come out of nowhere to be stage four already in weeks it was just heartbreaking,” Michelle Satiro, Marissa’s mom said about her daughter’s surprising diagnosis.
Marissa was told by doctors at age 13 she has Osteosarcoma and that the cancer was stage four.
Her family has been in awe of her ability to stay strong through multiple rounds of chemotherapy, a major surgery to remove a tumor from her, and more surgery to try and get the cancer out of her lungs.
“She’s amazing. She’s a fighter we’re all so proud of her, because she’s always smiling no matter what we do, the treatments, whatever we go through she has a smile on her face,” Satiro said.
Marissa’s smile was challenged, however, just moments before she was going to attend prom.
“It was a brain tumor and what had happened is it had ruptured in her head while she was trying to get her pictures taken. So, it was filling up with the blood and the fluid and that’s what created her whole right side to not work,” Michelle explained.
Her family has now turned to the internet to try and keep Marissa’s positive spirits going. They set up a GoFundMe page to help her complete her bucket list.
“Going down to Florida again to see her family, swim with the dolphins, she never got to swim with the dolphins so that’s one of her things she wants to do,”
Michelle said about some of her bucket list items. Topping that list, however, is to meet the Justin Bieber. Marissa said his music is a big part of what helped her get through some of her toughest moments and treatments.
“When she gets her treatments done or when she gets ports access and things like that we used to play his songs just to keep her mind off of it or when she goes into like the MRI machines,” Marissa’s mom explained.
She said meeting him would be a dream her daughter so deserves.
Looking into her daughter's eyes, Michelle said “she’s so strong. I tell her all the time she has definitely been our hero."
Marissa’s strength is forging on, through what may be just a short amount of time left to get those bucket list items checked off.
“If Marissa didn’t choose any treatment, she would maybe make it to her 16th Birthday which is August,” Michelle said.
Marissa is planning to try a few more treatments her doctors hope will give her a few months longer with her family.