Kassidi Morrison

Kassidi Morrison, my cousin, has spent the last 20 years of her life in the vibrant city of New York, where she built her life with her husband and their two adorable daughters. After getting married, they made the journey from Utah to New York. Kassidi pursued her education in Dental Hygiene at a college in upstate New York and dedicated nearly two decades to her career as a Dental Hygienist. Alongside her professional journey, she enriched her daughters' lives with warmth and love while actively participating in her community. However, life recently took a painful turn when she experienced a divorce. In the wake of this change, she dove headfirst into the theater scene, immersing herself in stage productions, lighting design, costume creation, and acting, finding solace and creativity in her new passion. But then, her life was overshadowed by a series of troubling health issues that began with symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). This is her story.

"Three weeks ago, out of nowhere, I was hit with a severe UTI that seemed to come on like a storm. The initial burning sensation began around 8:00 PM, and by midnight, I was alarmed to see blood in my urine, accompanied by tissue being expelled through my ureter. The agony was overwhelming, and I found myself making frantic trips to the bathroom every twenty minutes. The following morning, I sought help at urgent care, where they prescribed me cephalexin, only to later discover that the lab results indicated antibiotic-resistant bacteria. I had to pivot to a new treatment with Macrobid. After completing the course, I felt a wave of relief, but soon an unsettling pain in my right kidney emerged, turning into an unmistakable intensity. Initially, I suspected it might be sciatica, but the discomfort was localized, not bilateral. To make matters worse, I started experiencing intense hot and cold flashes, paired with distressing night sweats that seemed relentless, even during the day.

One particularly challenging day, I took a puff from my epinephrine inhaler to alleviate a chronic cough I had been grappling with since May. While it seemed to ease my breathing temporarily, the unpleasant taste lingered, triggering a fit of coughing that left me breathless.

At this point, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the UTI had transformed into a kidney infection.

The next day, I forced myself to go to work despite feeling unwell, battling through the sweats and pain. After my shift, I changed into my comfortable sweats and wrapped myself in a soft Snuggie, crawling under my warm fleece comforter. Yet, chills continued to envelop me, making me shiver uncontrollably. A close friend noticed my state and kindly offered to take me to the ER. Once we arrived, I explained my situation to the staff, expressing my suspicion of a kidney infection and my desire to address my persistent cough.

After what felt like an eternity—eight long hours filled with two X-rays and two CT scans—the doctor finally entered the room to deliver heart-wrenching news: I have cancer—renal cell carcinoma. A mass on my kidney has spread to both of my lungs, where several more masses are present, the largest measuring 3.5 centimeters. My diagnosis is renal cell carcinoma with metastasis to the lungs."

Faced with this advanced diagnosis, Kassidi was forced to make the gut-wrenching decision to leave her daughters behind in New York with their father, returning to Utah for cancer treatment. It was a choice weighed down by immense difficulty, but she knew that having her family nearby would provide the support she desperately needed during this harrowing time.

Kassidi plans to navigate the complex and often-tortuous process of applying for disability benefits, a journey that can stretch on for months and frequently requires multiple applications, even when the documentation clearly substantiates her condition. Known for her kindness, she is a wonderful mother, sister, friend, and cousin to many, but her current circumstances have left her without a robust support network in Utah. As she battles this daunting illness and grapples with being unable to work, her children remain with their father in New York, creating a profound sense of isolation. She urgently needs help, and any assistance extended would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

We are excited for Kassidi to feel some Anything for a Friend love!  You can donate through Venmo or credit card by clicking the "Donate to" button on the right hand side.  Thank you for your generosity!