Stories of progress, inspiration, and information in overcoming osteosarcoma.
Every year on her birthday, Tia Kreps hosts a Facebook fundraiser honoring her twin brother, Antonio (Tony) DelGiudice II, who courageously battled osteosarcoma three decades ago, passing away from the disease at age 15. Tia’s most recent birthday fundraiser benefited the Osteosarcoma Institute (OSI).
Tia says she and Tony were inseparable as children. She has fond memories of summer vacations and Disney trips spent together.
Tony DelGiudice
Tony was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 1989 at the age of 13. During his treatments, Tia’s parents tried to protect her from the difficulties. “I don’t remember much about Tony getting sick since my parents tried to shield me from it,” she says. “I do remember the constant prayers for good blood counts and the bouts of illness.”
She remembers, too, how Tony was sick all the time after his osteosarcoma diagnosis. “He was very, very strong, and I was honestly more concerned about my parents,” she says. “I cleaned the house a lot because I thought that would help. I wanted to help because I saw their pain.”
When Tony passed in early 1991, the family’s coping mechanism was to focus on the future. “I’ve coped by trying to forget,” says Tia. “My family did not really talk about Tony — it was just too painful. Bringing him up felt like opening an old wound that never really healed.”
In recent years, however, Tony has been on Tia’s mind more than ever. Tia’s teenage daughter is close friends with a girl named Riley; the two have been friends since kindergarten. Riley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age 12.
“Five years and many surgeries, scares, and treatments later, it is a blessing beyond words that Riley is cancer-free,” says Bonnie Boes, Riley’s mom. “We are so grateful.”
Riley had been told she had a 50/50 chance of living when the osteosarcoma metastasized into 50 nodules in her lungs. “But you know, she did it,” says Bonnie. “Look at her now — she is a senior in high school, she wants to go to Michigan State, and she wants to be a veterinarian. She’s doing great with grades and her long hair is back.”
Tia and her family were there offering support through many years and many phases of treatment, and Riley is not the only one who has experienced healing.
“With Riley’s battle, we’ve started talking about Tony a bit more — it is hard, but it also feels like a small step toward healing,” Tia says. “My family has gotten together and talked. We’ve cried together.”
Tia’s mom found calendars of Tony’s treatment years and shared them with Tia. “She wrote everything down on the calendar — my life, his life, and the whole journey,” Tia explains. “I have specific dates of when he got diagnosed, when he started chemo and radiation, and when they gave him three to six months to live. It has been kind of crazy, but this whole experience has been wonderful.”
Through her daughter’s experience, Bonnie also found a new passion and purpose. “We have something here in Michigan called Children’s Special Healthcare Services. It was financial support for pediatric cancer care started by the Oakland County Commissioner, whose nephew died of cancer,” says Bonnie.
“Insurance does not cover everything, and other states do not have that extra support — I’ve seen posts on osteosarcoma Facebook pages where families in other states have had to take out loans or a second mortgage to help pay for care.” After being on the receiving end of Michigan’s financial support program, Bonnie hopes to bring awareness to this need and encourage change for the future.
“Bonnie is relentless,” Tia says. “She is an amazing woman who took so many more steps to not only help Riley but also to advocate for other people.”
Being friends with Bonnie has also given Tia a better appreciation for what her mother endured when Tony was diagnosed.
“Seeing Bonnie and Riley’s success story and watching my friend navigate her trauma has brought my mother and I closer,” says Tia. “I feel I understand her journey better now and can support her healing, too. We’ve come so far since my brother passed 34 years ago. More awareness has brought people together for support and made the fight for change stronger — something I never had in my journey. For that, I’m thankful and hopeful.”
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