Southborough survivor to walk in Relay for Life

SUBMITTED Southborough resident Richard Cincotta holds a photo of him and "two of the angels" on his Dana Farber chemo team on his last day of chemotherapy treatment. Southborough - Longtime Southborough resident Richard Cincotta was dealt a blow a little more than a year ago: he went into the emergency room late at night with some kidney pain and left at 5:30 the next morning believing he may have lymphoma. After surgery and a consultation a week later, his diagnosis was seminoma (testicular cancer). After a golf-ball sized lump appeared on his neck, Cincotta's cancer was identified as being in Stage 3.

After enduring three rounds of chemotherapy, multiple medications to help lessen nausea and other side effects, injections to boost his immune system, and missing months of work, his scans are now clear. He's not considered cured: there's still about a 10 to 15 percent chance of recurrence.

On Saturday May 30 and Sunday 31, Cincotta, who is a certified nursing assistant and home health aid, will walk as a survivor in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Natick.

He feels among the very blessed to have so far won a battle against what he calls an insidious disease.

"I'm walking so that, hopefully, walks like this won't be necessary in the future," Cincotta said.

He is part of a team called the Ultimate Caregivers, made up of fellow caregivers from Natick-based New Century Healthcare Services and the Natick Visiting Nurses Association, as well as some family members.

To support Cincotta on his mission, donations can be made online or mailed in. To donate online, visit www.relayforlife.org and enter 01760 in the Find Local Events box in the upper right corner. Choose the Natick walk, then search for Richard as a participant. Or make out a check to the American Cancer Society and mail it to Richard Cincotta at P.O. Box 286, Southborough MA 01772. The deadline for donations is Friday May 29. Be sure to include if you'd like the donation in memory or celebration of someone special so it can be entered as such.