Retired Teacher From Caldwell Fights Leukemia Amid Coronavirus

CALDWELL, NJ — A retired high school chemistry teacher from Caldwell is taking extra precautions as she goes through cancer treatment. But it’s all part of the “new normal” as the nation continues to battle the coronavirus, she says.

For Marcia Renzetti, 58, facing a life-threatening illness in light of the global pandemic has added an unexpected layer of anxiety and uncertainty to an already-tough experience.

Renzetti was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2014, and since then, she’s undergone two bone marrow transplants to help her fight the disease. She received the first one from her sister, and the second one – nearly a year ago – from an unrelated donor.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, Renzetti’s care team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, which included bone marrow specialist Markus Mapara, has been monitoring her progress frequently via regular check-ups, including biopsies to check the condition of the bone marrow and telemedicine consultations.

It’s been a reassuring fallback in a time of upheaval, Renzetti said.

“Despite the world flipping upside down in the past couple of months, I remained positive my care at NewYork-Presbyterian will continue without any major delays,” she said.

“When I got a mild cold and feared this might be coronavirus, Dr. Mapara stayed in touch on a daily basis via telemedicine check-ins, and provided helpful guidance how to monitor my health at home,” Renzetti said. “The hospital and staff have also had an efficient process to get immunocompromised patients in quickly and safely for in-person procedures I had to undergo.”

Part of the new reality of cancer recovery also includes reducing exposure to the coronavirus, she added.

“As a cancer patient, I’ve taught myself how to take certain precautions to stay safe,” Renzetti said. “However, in light of the pandemic, my husband, Lou, and I went the extra mile to make sure we minimize the risk of exposure to the virus. Sanitizing commonly used surfaces, as well as using face coverings, gloves and maintaining social distancing became a norm to us.”

Going forward, Renzetti remains hopeful her condition will continue to improve. With the support of her husband, she’s continuing to stay in touch with her two children, Madelyn and Paul … with social distancing in mind.

She’s even thinking about coming out of retirement and resuming her passion at some point soon – possibly via substitute teaching at James Caldwell High School.

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