Norwin community supports alum, lacrosse coach battling cancer

As Zane Yanosko recuperated Thursday in a Pittsburgh hospital room from surgery to attack cancer in his lungs, the Norwin-area community rallied behind the 25-year-old assistant lacrosse coach.

Yanosko of North Huntingdon underwent surgery this week to remove cancerous nodules in one of his lungs, according to his mother, Kathy Yanosko. He still faces surgery to remove nodules from his other lung.

Yanosko, a 2017 Norwin High School graduate, initially was diagnosed last year with testicular cancer, and it then spread to his lungs.

“It’s kind of hard to believe everything he has gone through,” Kathy Yanosko said.

She said her son has kept a positive attitude.

After he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, he had surgery followed by chemotherapy. The cancer had metastasized to his lungs, and he received chemotherapy treatment from September through November, but surgery was also required, his mother said.

To help with the family’s medical expenses, a family friend, Courtney Blair Turner of North Huntingdon, created a GoFundMe page this week and set a fundraising goal of $25,000. As of late Thursday afternoon, the page had generated more than $15,585.

“We really have some good people in the community. It shows how well they are loved in the community. It’s overwhelming support,” Turner said.

Kathy Yanosko said the family is grateful for the support.

“It is so special how the Norwin community pulls together in a time of needs. We are so thankful for the prayers, the meals (people provided) and everything. We feel blessed.

“Zane has always been a responsible young adult, animal lover, great brother to Emma and Seth and a wonderful role model for our youth. He’s done everything right,” Turner said.

He also has received support from the lacrosse community. Zane Yanosko has been an assistant coach for Norwin’s lacrosse team for three years, Norwin lacrosse coach Chad Good said.

“He puts in a heck of an effort. He would go from his job (as an engineer with Pennsylvania Soil & Rock Inc. of Monroeville) to the games to be with his team,” said Good, who has coached for 10 years.

Zane Yanosko played for Good for four years and came back to coach. He would return home from college at the University of Dayton, where he studied civil engineering, to watch his younger brother, Seth, play for the high school team, Good said.

Zane Yanosko learned to play lacrosse as a boy when his father, James, coached in Norwin’s lacrosse recreational league, his mother said.

“He’s played lacrosse his entire life,” she said.

Good said Yanosko was so dedicated that, even when he was tired from undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for his cancer, he would come to the team’s offseason training this past fall. The team reciprocated by visiting him, Good said.

“He is so dedicated and has a love for his team and the players,” Good said.

This story is updated to reflect the GoFundMe fundraising amount.