Hockey Moms and Dads Unite to Support Cranberry's Chiusano Family

Members of the Chiusano family are familiar faces around the North Pittsburgh Youth Hockey Association.

Dad Chris Chiusano is a coach in the organization and his wife, Deana, is a regular at the games. The couple’s son, Andrew, 12, plays for the association’s Wildcats, and so does their 8-year-old daughter, Clare.

“Chris is just a really good guy who does more for everyone else than himself,” said Chris Krebs, who became close with the Chiusano family when their sons began playing hockey together. “His wife is equally the same.”

Knowing that the Chiusanos —who moved to Cranberry from Long Island, NY—don’t have many relatives in the area, Krebs, who comes from a large clan, said his family considers the Chiusanos one of his own.

“They’re as close to family as we have,” said Krebs, a Pine Township resident whose family owns the Krebs car dealership in Gibsonia.

Families stick together, which is why the Krebs — with numerous families in the North Pittsburgh Youth Hockey Organization — are banding together to help the Chiusanos through a difficult time.

In April, Deanna was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow. Typically, multiple myeloma strikes older men in their 60s or 70s. Deanna learned she had the disease at age 39.

“Everyone was in disbelief,” Krebs said.

In and out of the hospital to receive treatments, Deana had a costly stem cell transplant in November.

In support of the Chiusanos, members of the hockey organization —led by Chris Kreb’s wife, Shaneen— are sponsoring a spaghetti dinner to benefit the family.

The event will be 6-10 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Mars VFW on Mars-Valencia Road in Mars and will feature music, games, raffles and more. The cost of admission is $10, with all proceeds benefitting the Chiusano family.  The event is open to the public.

Krebs said he hopes about 300 to 400 people will attend the event. The women on the committee for the benefit made about 70 gift baskets that will be raffled off during the dinner, he said. Prizes include tickets to Pittsburgh Penguins games, golf passes, spa packages and more.

Five bands will perform at the event, including , as a member. There also will be a knee hockey tournament for the children, face painting and crafts, including a station where girls can add

“We tried to cover all the bases,” Krebs said.

As for the Chiusano family, Chris Chiusano said he and his wife—who also are parents to 2-year-old Gregory—are overwhelmed and humbled by the attention.

“Deana and I both kind of feel like it’s more than what people need to do,” he said. “We realize there are other people have difficult challenges in their lives, especially with the economy.

“It’s really a humbling experience for us. We are very, very grateful. I don’t know if words can really express how we feel about it.”

After the stem cell transplant at UPMC’s Hillman Cancer Center, Chris Chiusano said his wife, who is an architect with MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni in Pittsburgh, spent weeks in the hospital while her body adjusted to the influx of stem cells.

“It’s been pretty difficult to deal with it,” Chris Chiusano said of his wife. “On the whole, she’s maintained a pretty positive attitude.”

The couple has an appointment with the oncologist today to find out how Deana is responding to the transplant. Chris Chiusano said the results will dictate his wife’s next procedure, including a possible round of chemotherapy on a maintenance level.

Chris Chiusano said Deana, her mom and her sisters have kept a log of Deana’s journey since her diagnosis on CaringBridge.org., which offers personalized Web sites for people facing serious medical conditions. Kirstin White, who is on the benefit committee, calls the entries that Deana’s sisters have left cheerful and oftentimes hilarious. Chris Chiusano said the comments and prayers people leave on the journal mean a lot to Deana.

“My sister-in-laws are doing a good job of putting that together,” he said. “Deana keeps up with it on a daily basis.”

The head coach for Carrick High School’s varsity ice hockey team in Pittsburgh and a board member the Seneca Valley Ice Hockey Association, Chris Chiusano, who also works full time for Astorino Architects, said he is grateful to the friends who have offered to watch his children or give them rides to activities.

“They’ve really been a fantastic support group for us and good friends,” he said. “This really is a special thing.”

If you can’t make the event, donations to the Chiusano family may also be mailed care of the Krebs family to 265 Logan Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044.