“The Needle is Being Moved”
How Cassie Lloyd’s Journey with Ewing Sarcoma Has Never Left Her, but Doesn’t Define Her, as She Advocates for Advancements in Cancer Research
Cassie’s postgraduation plans were not what she imagined. But the journey she has faced over the past three years has given her new strength, gratitude and passion.
“Am I going to be OK?”
As a college senior finishing a degree in musical theatre, Cassie dreamed of pursuing a career as an actor.
During her final semester of college, Cassie was taking several strenuous dance classes. When she noticed sharp pains in her arm during class, she brushed them off.
One night, about two months before graduation, the pain became so severe that it woke her up, prompting her to get it checked out. However, the X-rays came back clear, so steroids plus physical therapy were recommended to treat tennis elbow. Cassie powered through the pain to make it to graduation.
After graduating in May and taking a celebratory trip with her best friend, Cassie moved back home, trying to manage the pain that had worsened in the meantime. Just days before she and her parents were set to leave for “a trip of a lifetime” to Ireland and London in August, Cassie consulted a doctor, who ordered an MRI.
When Cassie returned home from running errands after her MRI, her mom entered her room. Cassie could tell she had been crying and assumed that one of the family’s many animals had died.
“She led me into the living room, where she and my dad were sitting. They sat me down, and my dad that is always direct and to the point ripped the bandage off: ‘It seems you have a tumor on your ulna bone, and we are not sure what it is, but we are in this together.’ Not sure how to process that information, I was immediately in shock and started crying and asked my parents, ‘Am I going to be OK?’”
Cassie was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma on August 14, 2023.
“I’m extremely grateful”
As soon as Cassie received the diagnosis, she and her support system began determining how to treat and take on the cancer.
She faced decisions that no 22-year-old expects to make. Because chemotherapy can adversely affect fertility, she had to make life-altering decisions about fertility treatment.
“Fertility treatment is not what you want to think about at 22 years old,” Cassie said. “You want to think you’re young and resilient, and you have time on your side. But when they gave me the option, it was kind of a no-brainer. I look back at 22-year-old Cassie and cannot thank her enough for going through those IVF shots, getting that procedure done, because now I can look at my future and know that I do have time on my side because those eggs are frozen and they’re healthy and nothing’s going to happen to them.”
Cassie began chemotherapy on October 1, less than six weeks after her diagnosis. The combination of medications was harsh and took a significant toll, causing side effects that ranged from facial swelling to fainting spells. Still, Cassie continued to push through.
“Chemo was hard. It was very hard. It put a lot of stress on my body,” Cassie said. “Without my amazing team and doctors by my side, getting me through it every day and helping me through the ins and outs, I don’t know what I would have done. I’m extremely grateful for them and their work.”
After four months of chemotherapy, Cassie needed surgery to remove her infected ulna bone with a donor bone. Her case was rare because Ewing sarcoma is typically found in the hip, spine or leg, not the ulna. After seeking a second opinion, she found a surgeon that specialized in this type of complicated surgery and felt more confident moving forward.
After surgery, Cassie underwent three more months of grueling chemotherapy, along with relearning how to use her left arm.
Cassie rang the bell, signifying the end of her treatment, on June 4, 2025.
“I’m currently in remission. I just had my checkup, and all my scans came back clear! My doctor even told me I look like the epitome of health and that he wouldn’t know I had this strange thing called sarcoma.”
“It’s always encouraging to hear feedback like that, but at the same time, when you ring the bell, cancer doesn’t just leave you. That experience stays with you and makes you view the world in a different light. Cancer may have left some scars, but it has also empowered me to make a positive difference and live life not defined by cancer. For that, I feel the need to advocate. I feel the need to spread the message to other people to support cancer research. Because I am one of the survivors, I’m advocating and rooting for the people who are fighting the fight.”
“There will be a cure”
The impact of cancer research was evident throughout Cassie’s journey. From new treatment regimens to a donor bone constructed from fragments of other bones, years of dedicated scientific research contributed to her positive outcome.
“Without organizations like the V Foundation funding new devices, medicines, technologies and surgical approaches, I would not be here today telling my story. Every day the needle is being moved in a positive direction in the fight against cancer, and more people are winning their battle.