Cassie's Story
Cassie Hines has made an incredible impact on people's lives here at Michigan State. Her tenacity and courage has inspired countless amounts of people. Spartython is striving to carry on her legacy and never stop sharing her story.
Before Cassie headed down to Florida for spring break, abnormal abdomen pain led to a trip to the doctor’s that would forever change her life. At the age of 16, a tumor was found on Cassie’s kidney and she was diagnosed with tubulocystic carcinoma, a rare form of kidney cancer. Right from the beginning, Cassie was determined to live a normal life and not be labeled as “the girl with cancer.” She graduated with her class from Eisenhower High School and was accepted to Michigan State University. Cassie went to her doctor’s appointments and followed their orders but refused to attend a camp for young adult cancer patients on a number of occasions. She thought that camp would be a depressing place where cancer patients would wallow in their misery with one another. Little did Cassie know that attending these camps would make such a profound impact on her life. After finally agreeing to attend these young adult camps, Cassie realized that they offered her support, acceptance, and lifelong friends who truly understood what she was going through because they too were cancer fighters. Her experience at these camps gave Cassie a new and enhanced determination to live her life to the fullest. Looking past concerns and doctors’ recommendations to stay close to home, Cassie decided to attend Michigan State University to pursue a degree in speech pathology. Cassie continued her battle and even raised money to send other cancer patients to the same camps that she was so grateful to attend. As Cassie’s cancer progressed, she was unable to continue with her mission and was admitted to the hospital during her junior year at MSU. Cassie’s cancer had spread and new tumors were found, making it impossible for her to return to school. She spent many weeks in the hospital and nothing more that could be done medically and doctors came to the conclusion nothing more could be done medically. Cassie was released from the hospital and went home in hospice care. After weeks of fighting, Cassie succumbed to her cancer and passed away on March 1, 2012 at the age of 21. Although Cassie may have lost her battle with cancer in the end, she never let cancer beat her while she was alive and lived each day to the fullest. |
Visit www.cassiehinesshoescancer.org
for more information about Cassie's legacy and The Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation. |