Cancer is already an uphill battle for anyone but more so for teens who are often forced to receive treatment along with and like adults, with hardly enough people to relate to. Thus, when two teens met, they made sure they were there for each other.
An article published in Yahoo News Australia on Sunday, November 2, talked about the friendship.
About three years ago, two teen cancer patients met and developed a beautiful bond. Eighteen-year-old Jason Carrasco was diagnosed with testicular cancer at that time when he happened to encounter 16-year-old Cassi Nascimento. Being a cancer patient and survivor herself, she understood the emotional and physical struggle Jason was going through. She hardly left his side for the many months he underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Eventually, Jason became cancer free.
However, both never had the opportunity to celebrate truly as a day after Jason received his clearance, Cassi's results from her regular checkup revealed a growing mass in her brain. Cassi was previously treated for a brain tumor.
She never made it.
Nevertheless, both teens had dreamt of providing a more ideal treatment unit for other cancer patients like them. They worked closely with Sony Foundation and its You Can project, in partnership with CanTeen, which sets up various cancer treatment centers especially for teens in many large hospitals in Australia.
As stated in its website, Sony Foundation shares that about 1,000 young people from 15 to 24 years old develop cancer every year in the country and that the survival rate drops by 50% as soon as a teen turns 16 years old. These cancer treatment units therefore will become a venue of collaboration among various health care professionals such as doctors, cancer specialists, and social support needed by these young patients.
Everyone is encouraged to donate using a link on its website to support the project continuously. Meanwhile, Jason sets up a Walk for Cassi on November 9, Sunday, in Wollongong. He also received a scholarship that will allow him to pen a book about their great friendship.
