“I like to start my magic show with a bang,” said Gabrielle Cassady, pulling a fake rose from her back that appeared to be flaming.
To do so, 5-year-old Noah S. put down his tablet where he was watching a Sonic the Hedgehog video. His interest is piqued. Noah was one of the few children at Mercy Children's Hospital's St. Jude Affiliate Clinic where Cassady performed magic tricks on Monday. This has been a dream for Cassady for months.
In October 2023, Cassady, who co-owns 2oddballs Creative with his wife Kylie Cassady, was diagnosed with embryonic rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of sarcoma cancer that usually affects children under the age of five. After months of tests, chemotherapy and surgeries, Cassady said she's starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Gabriel underwent surgery and chemotherapy at the University of Kansas in December because a cancerous tumor in his prostate had grown in size. Gabriel's first CT scan in July 2023 showed the tumor was 5 to 6 centimeters in size. By December, the tumor had grown to about 9.3 centimeters.
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The Cassadys were told there was an “85% chance” that Gabriel's bladder would need to be completely removed, but fortunately only a small portion was removed, along with all of Gabriel's prostate and seminal vesicles. There wasn't.
After the surgery, the Cassadys were told Gabriel would need to recover without strenuous exercise for the next six to eight weeks before returning to a normal life. It's been about 13 weeks since the surgery.
On February 21st, Gabrielle began radiation therapy to ensure all cancer was eradicated. He will complete a total of 33 treatments (one each weekday). He hopes to have these treatments completed by early April. After radiation treatment, Gabriel said he will likely only need check-ups once a year.
“My main focus right now is to give back and spread joy and wonder, whatever that may be,” Gabriel told the News-Leader on Monday. Specifically, he said he is interested in collaborating with teachers and researchers in fields such as psychology, neuroscience, marketing and sales, and communications.
“I think the art of magic has a lot to offer to such fields of research,” he added. “For centuries, magicians have understood concepts that scientists are only beginning to catch up to, such as the fragility of human attention and memory.”
long way to go
Gabriel's diagnosis came as a complete surprise to the Cassadys.
In July 2023, Gabrielle went to the emergency room because she hadn't urinated in two days. In the emergency room, Gabrielle had a catheter inserted and her first CT scan, which revealed a 5-6 centimeter mass in her prostate. Emergency room doctors could not diagnose Gabriel, but told the Cassadys that the mass was likely a cancerous tumor.
It was two months ago that Gabriel saw a urologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the urinary system. At this time, he was diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor also grew to about 7 to 8 centimeters.
Gabriel immediately began chemotherapy to shrink the tumor and prevent it from spreading from where it started to other parts of the body. He was to complete his 14 cycles. Each cycle is 2 weeks long.
But their plans changed on Dec. 4, when the Cassadys arrived at the University of Kansas for Gabriel's fourth round of chemotherapy. Gabrielle's symptoms didn't seem to be improving, so the couple requested another CT scan. Scans revealed that Gabriel's tumor was approximately 9.3 centimeters in size. Surgery was the only logical option.
If Gabriel's bladder had been removed, and fortunately it wasn't, he could have been given a urostomy bag or neobladder. The new bladder is created from a reconstructed section of the small intestine.
What is embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma?
Sarcomas, which account for less than 1% of cancers diagnosed each year, occur in the body's connective tissues, such as muscle, fat, bones, joint linings, and blood vessels. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a specific type of sarcoma that tends to occur in skeletal muscle. According to the American Cancer Society, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma tends to occur in the head and neck, bladder, vagina, or in and around the prostate and testicles.
Because embryonic rhabdomyosarcoma is usually found in children, the cancer typically grows faster in adults and can be more difficult to treat, according to the American Cancer Society.
The News-Leader first spoke to the Cassadys about Gabriel's diagnosis in November 2023. During the visit, Gabriel said a sarcoma specialist at the University of Kansas Cancer Center told him that only one other man of Cassady's age had been diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in early 2023. Ta. He was living in Kuwait at the time.
Greta Cross is a trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. X and follow her on Instagram @gretacrossphoto.Have a story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared in Springfield News – Leader: Co-owner of Springfield's 2oddballs spreads joy during cancer treatment
