Childhood Cancer Warrior Spotlight: Kasanova

In the summer of 2024, my son Kasanova began losing weight and had very little appetite. As a mother, I knew something wasn’t right. My mother’s instinct kept telling me there was something more going on, even when we couldn’t find any answers.

For over a year, I took him to different doctors, searching for an explanation. He underwent test after test, but no one could tell me what was wrong. I refused to give up because I knew my son, and I knew something wasn’t right.

Finally, I took him to another pediatrician who immediately ordered an MRI. That very same day, our lives changed forever. The MRI revealed tumors in my son’s brain, and he was diagnosed with germinoma, a rare form of brain cancer.

As a mother, hearing those words was something I could never have prepared myself for. Looking back, I am so grateful that I trusted my instincts and continued searching for answers. I often wonder where we would be today if I had stopped looking.

Kasanova went through chemotherapy and radiation, and through it all, he showed incredible strength, courage, and resilience.

On January 12, 2026, Kasanova got to ring the bell, marking the end of his cancer treatment. Today, I am beyond grateful to share that my son is cancer-free!

His hair has grown back (and then some!), he is healthy, and he is slowly finding his rhythm as he adjusts to being back in school and enjoying life as a kid again.

If you ask Kasanova how he made it through everything, he will tell you it was his faith and the wonderful nurses who cared for him. They spoiled him with so much love and kindness that, at times, they made him forget he was even sick.

Our journey was not easy, but we were surrounded by incredible people who made some of our hardest days a little brighter.

As his mother, I will forever be grateful to every doctor, nurse, family member, and friend who supported us along the way.

Kasanova’s story is a reminder to every parent to trust your instincts, advocate for your children, and never stop searching for answers.

Today, we are simply grateful to see him healthy, smiling, and getting back to being a kid. And I couldn’t be prouder of the young man he is becoming.