Cancer survivor anxious to move on with her life

BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD — Heather Guarino believes in miracles. She said she has already experienced a few of her own.

The 21-year-old borough resident was diagnosed with fourth-stage lymphoma in November. After six months of chemotherapy, Guarino said she is cancer-free and is now ready to take on one of the most important events in her life — marriage.

She and her fiancé, Micah Albert, of Pennsylvania, will exchange their marriage vows at the First Baptist Church, West Main Street, on June 19. The couple are planning a honeymoon in Hawaii.

Guarino has been through an ordeal that would drain most people and break their spirit.

Not so for this young woman.

Guarino seems to have gained strength from her experience with her illness. Friends of hers say she is a very positive person and has made remarkable strides.

Her friends, along with members of he Sunshine Optimist Club of Freehold, are rallying to help support Guarino. They will hold a softball game from 3-5 p.m. June 12 at Michael J. Tighe Park, Georgia Road, Freehold Township, in her honor.

According to Mary Brach, her husband, Michael, will coach the Freehold Township Little League 2004 Senior League World Champions in a softball game against members of the Sunrise Optimist Club, coached by Eric Barbesh of Freehold.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted, according to Brach, who has been friends with the Guarino family for years.

“We were looking for a way to donate money to a good cause,” she said. “Heather is our good cause.”

Brach said Guarino is taking everything in stride and has a lot of hope and a very good outlook in regard to her illness.

Michael Brach is actually the person who came up with the idea to host the game in Guarino’s honor.

According to Mary Brach, half of the proceeds will go to the Senior League World Champions — which will forward them to Guarino — and half will go to the Sunrise Optimist Club to support youth programs in the community.

Barbesh, who is a member of the Sunrise Optimist Club, said the game will be held from 3-5 p.m. and will include entertainment in between innings by Eric Finkel, who entertains fans at the BlueClaws games in Lakewood.

“He keeps the audience going and keeps the crowd entertained,” Barbesh said, adding that there will also be games for children to play.

Freehold Township Mayor David Salkin is expected to throw out the first ceremonial pitch.

Bill Baronowsky, of Freehold Township, will be on hand to announce the players, while a disc jockey from Versatile, of Toms River, will entertain the crowd, according to Barbesh.

Guarino said she was surprised to hear about the softball game. She said she appreciates the effort that friends, acquaintances and people who have never met her are making on her behalf.

Guarino’s upbeat attitude is inspiring and contagious. Her strength of spirit is apparently what keeps her going — that and the fact she believes that “God has had a plan for me all along.” Getting married to her love Micah and living a happy life is part of the plan she said God has promised her.

“He wouldn’t go back on that promise,” she said.

She said her fiancé, who is a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, was on duty in Iraq when he learned of Guarino’s illness. She said the Marines sent him home to her, which she said is very unusual for the service to do. Guarino said he supported her through her treatment and they are now planning the rest of their lives together. Albert is a carpenter and is now on reserve status with the Marines.

Guarino majored in photography at the New York Institute of Photography and is employed at Hallmarc Photography and Videos, Manalapan, where she is the office manager and does all the graphic designs for the company.

She is very excited about her upcoming wedding. Guarino will wear a “princess” style wedding gown with a fitted bodice and what she called a “fluffy” bottom. She will wear a white lace cathedral veil over a white headband. The reception will be held at Gibbs Hall, the officers club at Fort Monmouth, Eatontown.