Diagnosis no deterrent to dream wedding for Blanocks
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Natalie Britvich and Luke Blanock on Feb. 19,2016, their wedding day. Blanock died of Ewing’s sarcoma in August 2016.
Natalie Britvich and Luke Blanock on Feb. 19, their wedding day
On the days when walking was a strenuous task or chemotherapy left him with little energy, Luke Blanock thought of one date – Feb. 19.
That was the day he’d marry Natalie Britvich – his fiancée, whom he proposed to after doctors determined his cancer to be terminal.
It became a reality on a chilly Friday night when nearly 200 family members and friends watched from the pews in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Cecil as Blanock and Britvich exchanged vows and said, “I do.”
The ceremony and the reception that followed celebrated the love of two teenagers who found solace in one another when Blanock was at his best and at his worst.
“It felt good. It felt right,” Blanock said of his wedding day. “It was an exciting time. I’m really glad we were able to do it. It was pretty incredible. For me, it was a lot easier than it was for her. They say the groom only has to show up.”
Since Blanock was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma – a rare cancer that forms in the bone marrow and soft tissues – in December 2013, people from around the region, including strangers, have chipped in to help.
Making sure Blanock, 18, and Britvich, 19, had a dream wedding was no different. Medical expenses made the wedding budget limited and time was precious, but when word spread Blanock popped the question, the phone started to ring.
More than 20 vendors provided services for free or at cost. Sygan SNPJ Lodge 6 in Bridgeville donated the venue, The Malone Flower Shop in Canonsburg provided centerpieces for the reception and friends baked more than 120 dozen cookies.
“For every caterer or photographer we had, there were five we had to turn down who offered to do it for free or at cost,” Kurt Blanock, Luke’s father, said. “That’s how it’s been since day one with the outpouring of support from everyone.”
After his initial diagnosis, Blanock underwent countless hours of treatment. He received positive news about a year after he had a tumor removed from his back when doctors determined his cancer was in remission. He returned to play basketball for Canon-McMillan last winter.
Three months later, routine scans revealed a tumor in his left femur. He pitched and played outfield for the Big Macs’ baseball team, continuing his active lifestyle despite undergoing rigorous five-day rounds of chemotherapy that caused him to lose almost 20 pounds.
He’s undergone more than 80 days of chemotherapy, 58 days of radiation, two surgeries and lost his hair three times.
Last October, Blanock had a large portion of his left femur removed and replaced with a titanium rod to prevent the cancer from spreading. Results in late November showed it had spread to multiple places in his spine, pelvis, lungs, ribs, lymph nodes, arm and right leg.
In late December, his white blood counts were so low that further treatment was a risk and doctors weren’t sure how much longer he had.
As he has in the past, Blanock persevered through the grim diagnosis, making his wedding day even more special.
After Britvich said yes, the couple approached Ashley Cyprowski, a friend of Natalie’s older sister, Jessica, to plan the wedding. It took plenty of meetings with Natalie deciding on many of the particulars and Blanock, like most future husbands, nodding in approval until the discussion turned to the cake or food.
The discussions were easier thanks to the numerous people offering their services. Though Cyprowski, a Canon-McMillan graduate, was not surprised by the community’s generosity, she didn’t have to search for options.
“I was more surprised by the amount of people who reached out to us before we had even contacted them,” Cyprowski said. “We had a ton of people reach out to Luke’s family saying they wanted to help make the day special for them.”
It certainly was.
Blanock kissed Britvich – twice – and the couple joined hands, holding them up in celebration to conclude the ceremony. The atmosphere in the banquet hall was one of joy and enthusiasm. It was fitting there was no mention of the word cancer or talk of illness.
“It was extra special because there was a time a little after Christmas when it didn’t look like he’d make it to February. It just made it unbelievable,” Kurt Blanock said.
The thought of the wedding day – from seeing his future wife walk down the aisle to eating that first piece of cake – motivated Blanock for the past month. His doctors at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh scheduled his blood transfusions so he’d be at his best for the day and he wanted to ditch the cane he typically uses to walk.
When Blanock spoke after accepting a Courage Award from The Pittsburgh Basketball Club last month, he credited Britvich for his strength, his voice cracking as he thanked her, and said he was not marrying her to make her a widow.
One of his goals is for the couple to share a 50th wedding anniversary.