Community Rallies After Point Pleasant Boy's Leukemia Diagnosis

POINT PLEASANT, NJ — Bill and Danielle Paterno were living a typical, happy suburban life when 2023 started.

They were getting settled into a new home in Point Pleasant, having moved from Brick in August, and were watching their young son, Billy, grow and explore and do the things 2-year-olds do, enjoying life as a family.

Three months later, they are facing an uncertain future after their blond, smiling little boy was diagnosed with leukemia in late February.

Billy has been undergoing treatment at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick since Feb. 26, the day after the family received the diagnosis, Bill Paterno said Monday. Billy is anticipated to be released from the hospital shortly to begin the second stage of his treatment.

That will require multiple doctors’ visits, constant monitoring and, quite likely, unexpected trips for treatment over the next two years. It brings with it worries about Billy but also worries about the financial stress and the challenges of two working parents.

Danielle is an independent sales representative for clothing companies. Bill works in logistics for a warehousing and shipping company owned by a family member.

“She’s on the road a lot for work,” Bill said. “She would always have to have a very flexible schedule to do her job,” which they anticipate will be difficult once Billy comes home from the hospital.

“We went from having a very normal life and now everything is upside down,” Bill said.

Billy’s diagnosis happened because of Danielle’s persistence, Bill said. The couple noticed a lump on Billy’s neck, but when they questioned his pediatrician about it, “the pediatrician kind of blew it off.”

Danielle wasn’t satisfied with that answer. She went away for a few days for work, and when she returned, she could see the lump had gotten larger. At that point, the couple took Billy to Robert Wood Johnson, which recommended they do bloodwork.

On Feb. 25, they received a call from Robert Wood Johnson saying the bloodwork came back and showed Billy had leukemia, and he should come in right away.

“He was pretty normal, but looking back there were small things,” Bill said. Billy was a picky eater to start with, but he was eating even less, Bill said, and he was delaying bedtime more and more.

“The lump on his neck stood out the most,” Bill said. “Thank god my wife didn’t accept that (pediatrician’s) answer.”

It has been a whirlwind ever since as Bill and Danielle focus on seeing to it that Billy gets well.

"He's what matters most," Bill said.

It was in the early days after Billy was first hospitalized that Bill’s friend, Andrew Leustek, reached out to him and offered to start a GoFundMe campaign.

“I hadn’t even thought of that,” Bill said, giving his friend permission.

But as the couple continues to rack up costs for parking and gas and tolls, along with the medical bills that are just beginning to come in, Bill knows he and Danielle are facing significant financial challenges.

“We bought a house because we’re both working,” Bill said. The couple moved to Point Pleasant in August from Brick — he grew up in Lake Riviera, she grew up in Herbertsville. “We just don’t know what will happen.”

They have support from family and friends, and that has helped the GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than $80,000 so far. The family also is scheduled to be one of the recipients of the proceeds of the Brick PBA’s Helping Hands basketball game on April 27.

“It’s nice that people care,” Bill said.

He expressed the couple's gratitude for the support in a post on Facebook late last week.

"Danielle and I wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love and support that we have received since our son Billy was diagnosed with leukemia," he wrote in an update on Facebook. "Your donations will help us cover the costs of treatments for the next 18-24 months. We are overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness."

"Billy is a fighter, and with your continued support, we are confident that he will beat this," he wrote. "We won't stop fighting until Billy is cancer free."

"We pledge to pass this generosity, kindness and support to families going through the same tough times as we are, who are not as fortunate to have the support that we have," Bill said.

If you would like to donate to the GoFundMe campaign to help the family, click here.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.