Support for Cassie

Dear family, friends, and colleagues,

I hope this message finds you all in good health and spirits.

Today, I come to you with a heartfelt plea for support and solidarity for someone very dear to our hearts – our beloved friend and one of the strongest women I know, Cassie Harris. I realize this may be hard news to hear, so please know that I am here and available and wish I could give each of you a hug as you read this, and I have no doubt she’d want to do the same.

On March 16, 2023, Cassie underwent successful hip surgery and it all seemed to go really well. Shortly after her surgery, she noticed some concerning changes in her body, leading her to undergo a mammogram. The results revealed the heartbreaking news of triple-negative breast cancer.

This was an unexpected diagnosis, but it didn’t quite end there. As she learned about the often-overwhelming world of cancer treatments and after many tests, PETs, CTs, MRIs, and many more acronyms, they realized she was not recovering as well as they had expected from her hip surgery and soon learned the cancer had spread to her bones. Cassie started chemotherapy on July 3rd, 2023.

On Saturday, July 29th Cassie had a massive heart attack and received immediate triple bypass surgery. The doctors did not think she would survive the surgery, in fact, they recommended that she sign the release papers and send her home with hospice care instead, but after a lot of tears and prayers, they decided to do the surgery. She made it through the surgery! On Wednesday, August 2nd, she had yet another incident and a rapid response team was called. Cassie fought hard and AGAIN made it through!

Cassie was discharged and transferred over to a rehab wing of the hospital on August 8th. She is undergoing about 4 hours of therapy each day to help her get stronger. Right now, moving from a laying down position to sitting on a chair is a lot, so they are taking baby steps with her care. She has come a long way in a short amount of time, and we are simply grateful for every moment.

Throughout all these months, Cassie has asked for privacy, and all along I’ve reminded her of how loved she is by every person who has ever crossed her path, and how I knew that all of you would want to pray for her or support her in whichever way you can if you knew what she was going through. She simply was not ready to share her news; she wanted to share when she had more answers than questions… that time is now.

Cassie’s faith has kept her strong on days that anybody else would have crumbled. In her words, “God has put everything I need in my life. God knows where I am, what is happening, and what I need. I remind myself that God heals and that I am healing no matter what my body feels like because my path takes me to Him. I shouldn’t have survived all of this, but I am still standing on God’s goodness and mercy. I am a living testimony! I have a light and I want it to shine!”.

I’ve frequently expressed to Cassie the depth of my gratitude for her presence in my life, and I’m profoundly appreciative that fate brought us together. What is amazing to me is that every person that meets her feels the same way – she radiates belonging. In November of last year, during an annual work event (Shine Leadership Academy) Cassie received a standing ovation from approximately 200 attendees after they learned just a snippet of her remarkable story, the spark that led Cassie to her calling in Head Start. This applause served as a homage not only to her life achievements but also as a recognition of the remarkable resilience and bravery that has led her life and that she continues to exude with grace and warmth.

As she faces this new chapter, we ask for your prayers, positive thoughts, and unwavering support. Let’s stand together with Cassie and her family, providing love, strength, and hope during this very difficult time. Cassie has always been there offering her unconditional support, kindness, and love. Now it’s our turn to stand beside her and show her that she is not alone.

Here are some ways you can support Cassie:

Prayers, positive energy, and bringing a little light: This means the world to Cassie, as her unwavering faith has been a guiding light throughout her life. Your prayers, positive thoughts, and well wishes are incredibly valuable. Together, let's create a powerful network of support and lift Cassie up with our collective love and strength. Knowing that she has a community of caring individuals behind her will bring her immense comfort and hope. None of us know how many more chapters are left in this beautiful story we call Cassie’s life; I want to make sure in this chapter she knows how much she is loved. If you would like to share with her and her family any loving messages, please join us in sending her a message through this email: [email redacted] - Cassie will read all messages or they will be read to her

Financial Support: We understand that not everyone may be in a position to contribute, but any amount you can spare will make a meaningful impact. Even the smallest donation can go a long way in alleviating the stress of mounting medical bills, and other essential expenses. Her family has created this gofundme page to directly support Cassie during this time.

Let’s come together and show Cassie that she has a multitude of caring hearts supporting her. No gesture is too small, and every act of kindness counts! This is our chance to be her guiding light. Your contributions, whether spiritual or financial, will be invaluable in helping her and her family through this chapter.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message and considering supporting Cassie in any way you can.

With deepest gratitude,

Chrissy Rosenblatt (with Cassie’s permission)