Hoboken Man Had Softball-Sized Tumor. He's Running To Give Back.

Hoboken NJ

02 November, 2021

10:01 AM

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HOBOKEN, NJ — Doctors discovered a softball-sized tumor on Hoboken resident Chris Napoli's heart when he was 19. This Sunday, the Washington Township native, now 27, will run the New York Marathon with Team Tackle Kids Cancer, five years after completing chemotherapy treatments. Subscribe to Hoboken Patch for local news updates to your inbox. (It's free) https://patch.com/subscribe In July 2014, doctors found the tumor a day before Napoli was due to watch his cousin, Alex, graduate from BUDS training and become a U.S. Navy Seal. Napoli, who grew up in Bergen County, was never able to make the trip. Instead, he was immediately admitted into the Intensive Care Unit at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center to begin emergency treatments. His diagnosis was T-Cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then, Napoli has been slowly recovering and paying attention to his health. Napoli plans to run in the NYC Marathon on Sunday with #TeamTKC, with cousin Alex running by his side, in honor of pediatric cancer survivors and fighters. Alex, who has served as a volunteer firefighter and U.S. Navy Seal, has played an enormous role in Napoli's battle against the disease and has served as an inspiration for Napoli to keep pushing himself beyond his limits, both physically and mentally. Napoli is also running in honor of his family, friends and care team at Hackensack Meridian Children's Health Children's Cancer Institute at Hackensack Meridian Children's Health Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital. Find out more about Team Tackle Kids Cancer on the Hackensack Medical Center website here. "I owe it all to the doctors and nurses at the Children's Cancer Institute, for restoring my health and giving me a second chance at experiencing this life," Napoli said this week. You can watch the 50th TCS New York City Marathon in person or on WABC-TV or ESPN2 starting at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The number of runners has been limited to a mere 33,000 because of COVID. Get a free newsletter in Hoboken or your town with local news at 6 a.m. each morning. Sign up here with your preferences to get free Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.