At 17 years old, Tosh Mrazek was like any other high school senior—focused on finishing his final year at Lacey Township High School and wrapping up soccer season. But what began as severe pain in his lower abdomen quickly turned into something far more serious.
“The pain became unbearable,” Tosh recalled. Determined to figure out what was wrong, he drove himself to urgent care. That decision would change his life. Within hours, he was transferred to Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where a series of tests led to a diagnosis no teenager expects to hear: non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
A Health Care Team that Became a Family
Despite the shock, Tosh never lost his sense of hope.
“I was always optimistic,” he said. “I didn’t feel completely hopeless because I had the best care every single day.”
That care came from the team at Hackensack Meridian K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center who quickly became more than just medical providers. For Tosh, they became family.
“What got me through was my faith in God and the supportive team who cared for me,” he shared. “They really became my second family.”
He spoke with deep gratitude about the physicians who guided his treatment, including Andrew Silverman, M.D., and Jessica Scerbo, M.D., along with the nurses who supported him through long days and even longer nights.
“The nurses were incredible. They knew me so well,” Tosh said with a smile. “I’m a night owl, and they knew in the mornings I needed my space. That kind of understanding meant everything.”
Overcoming Cancer and Isolation During the Pandemic
Tosh’s treatment journey took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital restrictions allowed only his parents to visit. Coming from a close-knit family, the limitations were difficult, but the compassion of his care team helped fill that gap.
“It felt good to have that love,” he said. “I wasn’t fighting cancer alone.”
Through it all, Tosh held tightly to what motivated him most: getting back to his active life.
“I was itching to get back to school, to sports—especially soccer,” he said.
That determination carried him forward.
Major Milestones After Beating Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Today, at 22 years old, Tosh is not only cancer-free—he’s thriving. He graduated from Kean University in 2025 and recently celebrated a major milestone: his wedding to his wife, Julia, last February. Among the guests were Dr. Scerbo and Marianne Connelly-Semenuk, APN, the nurse practitioner who helped take care of him —powerful reminders of the bond formed during his journey.
“They were there for me at my darkest hour,” Tosh said. “Having them there on one of the happiest days of my life meant everything.”
Now back on the court, Tosh plays in a co-ed soccer league—with his wife by his side. On March 15, he celebrated five years cancer-free with a surprise party organized by Julia.
Looking back, Tosh doesn’t see cancer as something that weakened him.
Instead, he says, “cancer made me stronger.”
His story is a testament to resilience, the power of compassionate care and the life-changing impact of programs like Tackle Kids Cancer—ensuring that no child, and no family, faces cancer alone.
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