Illness and awareness
In July 1994, when Michael was Ennead, he was diagnosed by owning 2A Hodgkins disease, a form of cancer affecting a lymph nodes. It was treated by owning 5 months of chemotherapy, but returned a ensuing season & his 2nd bout using a disease metastized to his lungs. He mandatory massive drugs of chemotherapy, the bone-marrow transplant and twelve radiation treatments around his heart and lungs. He was cancer-free however a coarse of action left him by owning lasting lung & respiratory problems.

Michael became the easily-known nominee for cancer the food & drug administration and awarness. A singer/actor established a benevolent Michael Cuccione Foundation for Cancer Research, and turned his love for music into his fundraising effort by recording the 5 song Video highborn "Make a Difference". He besides co-authored the book using his gran coroneted "There are Survivors" about his experiences. His effort sooner or later raised $500,000 (CDN) which was donated to the B.C. Children's Hospital. Michael manufactured several around-in the flesh appearances in television, radio, at schools & hospitals & more fundraising cases.

Career
Around July of 1997, a asking Michael processed to meet Baywatch star David Hasselhoff led to the role inside a episode on the indicate when realistic cancer victim Charlie Dodson Hays.

A producers of 2gether had already agreed to shoot a flick & at last the tv series within Vancouver when they found Michael & cast him in the a portion of Jason "QT" McKnight. A series was an quick hit along using a soundtrack from either either a film & a soundtrack from a indicate. A boyb& mockery became therefore popular sustaining fans & creative person that it went on the road and opened for Britney Spears. Two soundtracks hit a Billboard Top 100. A 2gether moving picture was freed in February 21, 2000. A series before long followed inside August 2000 airing on MTV at 10pm.

When presently when a 2nd year began tape Michael soon began suffering breathing problems from either either complications from his earliest cancer treatments. He experienced to use an o tank in placed. His problems increased & presently got to miss many tape recording of his indicate & public class action apperances. Inside December 2000 Michael was unable to fight off a results of a minor car accident, & he entered the hospital in December 4, 200By having pneumonia. He spent the rest of his stay a respirator & celebrated his previous Christmas, New Year's and birthday in the hospital prior to succuming to respiratory failure in January 13, 2001.

Funeral
Hundreds to thousands packed a church within Vancouver, British Columbia in Wednesday evening of January 17, 2001, and once more in Thursday morning to mourn. Tons quaternity of Michael's 2gether band/cast members were in attendance for two services including Evan Farmer, Alex Solowitz, Noah Bastian, and Kevin Farley. Likewise attending was David Hasselhoff, who gave a eulogy and dedicated a song at a Wednesday services. Two services involved the 75 member choir from either Michael's Catholic high school. Among a display were pictures of Michael existence blest per Pope, the elephantine poster of Michael by having a teddy bear & a massive placed of garland and flowers. When you took a Thursday services immense procession of limo, cars, police force escort & firetrucks accompanied Michael's casket through wall street of greater Vancouver.

Acting Credits
Baywatch (1997) when Charlie Dodson Hays 2gether a pic (February 2000) when Jason "QT" McKnight 2gether a series (August 2000) when Jason "QT" McKnight

Recording Credits
Make the Difference 2gether moving-picture show soundtrack