13 Facts About Michael Cuccione

Michael James Cuccione was a Canadian actor, singer, dancer, author, and cancer research activist.

In July 1997, a request Michael Cuccione made to meet Baywatch star David Hasselhoff led to a role in an episode on the show as real-life cancer patient Charlie Everett Hays.

The producers of 2Ge+Her had already agreed to shoot the 2000 TV film in Vancouver when they discovered Michael Cuccione and cast him in the part of Jason "QT" McKnight.

In 1994, when Michael Cuccione was 9, he was diagnosed with stage 2A Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer affecting the lymph nodes.

Michael Cuccione required massive doses of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and twelve radiation treatments around his heart and lungs.

Michael Cuccione was then cancer free, but the treatment left him with permanent lung and respiratory problems.

Michael Cuccione became a well-known campaigner for cancer research and awareness.

Michael Cuccione co-authored a book with his grandmother titled, There are Survivors: The Michael Cuccione Story about his experiences battling cancer; his effort eventually raised C$500,000, which was donated to the British Columbia's Children's Hospital.

Michael Cuccione made many in-person appearances on television, radio, at schools and hospitals, and other fundraising events.

Michael Cuccione's problems increased, and soon he had to miss several tapings of the show and the public group appearances.

In December 2000, Michael Cuccione was unable to fight off the effects of a minor car accident and entered the hospital on December 4,2000, with pneumonia.

Michael Cuccione spent the rest of his stay on a ventilator and celebrated his last Christmas, New Year's, and birthday in the hospital before succumbing to respiratory failure, which caused his death on January 13,2001, eight days after his 16th birthday.

Michael Cuccione was buried at Ocean View Burial Park in Burnaby, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada.