2gether Singer Michael Cuccione Dead at 16

January 16 -- Sixteen-year-old Michael Cuccione, who sang and acted with fictional boy band 2gether, died over the weekend due to complications from his cancer treatment.

Cuccione, from Vancouver, British Columbia, was first diagnosed with cancer at age 9. Throughout his years of treatment, he campaigned to raise money to combat the disease, setting up the Michael Cuccione Foundation, which eventually donated $500,000 to fund a permanent research position at the B.C. Children's Hospital.

Cuccione recorded a short album (Make a Difference) and co-authored a book (There Are Survivors: The Michael Cuccione Story) in his charitable efforts.

After expressing a wish to meet David Hasselhoff, star of television series Baywatch, the boy landed a guest spot on the show.

From there, he was discovered by the producers of 2gether, who cast him as Jason "Q.T." McKnight, also known as "the cute one."

With the fictional band, Cuccione produced a movie special for MTV, numerous television episodes, and two albums.

Though not a "real" band, its music attained popularity, with 2gether Again reaching No. 26 on the Billboard charts this summer, when the group appeared on seven stops of Britney Spears' tour.

A memorial service will be held for Cuccione in Vancouver Wednesday evening, and the funeral is set for Thursday morning. Both events, at St. Helen's Catholic Church, are open to the public.

Donations can be made in Cuccione's memory to the Michael Cuccione Foundation, Box 31081, 2929 St. John's Street, Port Moody, B.C, Canada, V3H 4T4.