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MISL Milwaukee Wave

Terminesi May Have Brain Tumor

February 17, 2010 - Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
Milwaukee Wave News Release


MILWAUKEE (Feb. 17, 2010) - Marco Terminesi, the leading scorer for the Milwaukee Wave and the third-leading scorer in the Major Indoor Soccer League, has been placed on injured reserve as he undergoes examination for what doctors believe could be a brain tumor.

Terminesi, a native of Woodbridge, Ontario, has returned to Canada for extensive testing and observation. He has missed five of the Wave's last six games with symptoms of nausea, headaches and vertigo, playing only on Jan. 23 against Baltimore. He is on the injured list for five games, making him eligible to return on March 7.

"Words cannot describe how much we miss Marco's presence each and every day, more for who he is than what he has done," said Wave coach Keith Tozer. "He and his family are in our prayers, and we look forward to his return to the Wave in the very near future."

In a letter to teammates on Monday, Terminesi said doctors believe he has a tumor on the pineal gland in the center of the brain. The type of tumor and its status is unclear, he said. Doctors believe the best course of action is to observe him for six more weeks, then perform another MRI to see if the tumor has changed size or shape. A biopsy comes with risks because of the location of the gland and the tumor, Terminesi said, so doctors want to pursue other options first.

His doctors aren't positive the symptoms are related to the possible tumor, Terminesi said. The original diagnosis was an inner-ear infection, but as symptoms lingered and worsened, doctors performed tests and found the irregularity.

As a rookie in 2008-09, Terminesi racked up 52 points in 20 games and was Xtreme Soccer League Rookie of the Year. But he began experiencing symptoms in the days following the Jan. 10 game with Monterrey. After sitting out a pair of losses on Jan. 16-17, Terminesi scored a 3-pointer and 2-pointer in the 13-10 over Baltimore on Jan. 23. He has been unable to return to the lineup since. The 25-year-old forward has 35 points in just nine games, and still is only one point behind the league leaders.

A popular player both for his skill and his ebullient personality, Terminesi remains upbeat and offered encouragement to his teammates in the letter.

"I am in good hands here and you know I will be jumping up and down every time you guys score and win a game," he wrote. "No matter how much pain I am in I will come down there and hold the trophy with you guys when you win it."

The Wave's next game is at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 against the Philadelphia KiXX. It's the World's Longest Pinewood Derby, and fans can run a car down the track beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, call 414-224-9283 or visit milwaukeewave.com.

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