How LEGO helps this patient get through chemo one project at a time

When a father of four was diagnosed with lymphoma, he turned to a child’s pass time to help get him through treatment.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

As he recently relaxed to a therapeutic hand massage, Derek Povinelli talked about how he has coped with a cancer diagnosis. The massage was provided by IU Health CompleteLife therapist, Michelle Bailey. CompleteLife provides yoga, art, music and massage therapies to patients at IU Health Simon Cancer Center and University Hospital.

For Povinelli, 42, the therapy was part of his focus on reducing anxiety. Bailey also talked to Povinelli about pain, nausea, and neuropathy - all side effects of chemotherapy.

Married two and half years to his wife, Shelly, Povinelli is the father to four girls ages 11, 13, 14, and 15. About six months after he married, Povinelli went to a hospital near his Greenwood home complaining of stiffness in his arm. A chest x-ray revealed a giant mass around his heart. A biopsy followed and then surgery to remove the lymph node. That was November 2022. He was sent home with medication and told to schedule an appointment in January. That appointment showed no changes.

“At this point he was sleeping sitting up because everything was swollen. The medication was a super high dose and we didn’t want to keep doing it so we decided to seek another opinion,” said his wife. In February, they traveled to an out-state-hospital where he spent five days. Another biopsy was performed and he met with pulmonary, oncology, and infectious disease doctors. At that time, it was confirmed that Povinelli had Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops in the area of the upper chest behind the breastbone.

In March 2023, Povinelli became a patient of IU Health and Dr. Rita Assi, who specializes in hematology and oncology.

“I love Dr. Assi. She’s very patient oriented and super honest whether you like it or not. We ask her, ‘what would you do if was you or your spouse,’ and she is straight with us,” said Povinelli.

Since March, he completed six rounds of chemotherapy and was in remission until May. He started immunotherapy and then had a stem cell transplant on Oct. 29.

During his time of treatment, Povinelli, turned to LEGO building to help distract him. After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in sales and management, Povinelli said he has become a “serial entrepreneur.” Those businesses include, an exterminating trade, started by grandfather in the 1940s, real estate, and collecting and selling LEGO parts.

Above everything else, Povinelli loves being a dad.

“Being a dad is what defines me. I have a close relationship with my dad and ever since I was growing up, that’s all I wanted to be. My girls are so important to me,” said Povinelli. He had two daughters of his own when he reconnected with Shelly. They both graduated from Roncallli High School a year apart. Shelly had two daughters and when they began to look into ways to involve their girls in a family project, they turned to LEGOS.

“They’re all four very different but all very creative,” said Shelly. One loves painting, another loves music, another drama, and another crafts. Building LEGOS has been a creative outlet.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I could work on LEGOS and not think about the cancer,” said Povinelli. Over time, they have collected nearly 100,000 spare pieces that they distribute through “Stallion Bricks & Figs,” online. “My long-term goal is to eventually have online auctions and give money back to Riley Hospital,” said Povinelli. “Maybe I’ll help support the adult patients too, since I’ve enjoyed it so much.”