Few people achieve an internet presence by 10 months old.
But for little Castiel Kelly. there is little choice, whose devoted aunt, Mekailia Gabbert of Whitman, is using platforms like GoFundMe – as well as TikTok (castielvscancer), Instagram (castielvsneuroblastoma) and Facebook (Castiel Crushes Cancer), to ensure that her precious nephew has a fighting chance against Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma. She and a team of friends are also working offline to plan fundraising events in the community to help him and his family.
A social worker had sat with his parents about a week into Castiel’s treatments and told them their uncovered medical expenses, including travel and related expenses, typically costs families between $100,000 and $200,000 for this type of cancer, according to Gabbert.
The GoFundMe Goal is set at $100,000. The last time Gabbert checked, the fund had reached nearly, $34,000.
“We just don’t want this to ruin them completely,” she said of her aunt an uncle, Michae and Leidiane Kelly of Weymouth. A basket raffle will be held at the Whitman Knights of Columbus on Aug. 9, for which a lot of businesses have contributed.
“It’s what you do for family,” Mekailia said of the fundraising work. “I’ve always been very blessed with the people in my life – they show up for me. … and this has been a group effort.”
Her friends, calling themselves Castiel’s Crew, have helped hand-deliver more than 250 letters to local businesses in Whitman, Abington, Weymouth and the Bridgewaters, seeking donations door prizes. They also donated to events already held, as well as working to write those letters to businesses, picked up raffle tickets and have helped get T-shirts printed and are wearing the shirts.
“They’re stepping up every way that they can,” she said
“Castiel is a very loved little boy, and most of the people who are doing this haven’t met him … because he can’t have visitors,” she said.
Mekailia’s parents have also gone the extra mile for their nephew who, she jokes, they may love more than their own kids.
“They’re very hands-on,” she said. “[They] always know what’s going on medically, always knowing what his parents need, and that allows me to focus on the fundraising part.”
Diagnosed on April 30th at just over 7 months old, Castiel had endured “intensive chemotherapy, six surgeries, blood transfusions, emergency room visits and multiple infections” Gabbert stated in a press release to the Express this week.
“He had a couple symptoms like fatigue, and loss of appetite – a few of those generally concerning, but, where he was a baby, he got brushed off a lt,” Mekaiia said. “His parents got brushed off. It wasn’t until a lump formed on his neck and one on his head, that the family was taken a little more seriously. Even still, trying to get in for a scan of those was difficult.
After waiting a few days, Castiel was scheduled for an ultrasound.
“They got a call almost immediately after the ultrasound was done.” Mekailia said Monday, July 21. “They weren’t even off the [hospital] property yet, I don’t think, and they were told to go to Children’s Hospital. They drove straight there [and found that] there was a medical team waiting for them in the lobby. … It was awful, obviously, probably the worst-case scenario to have doctors there, waiting for you.”
Less than 24 hours after the ultrasound, the family received the devastating diagnosis – Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. After a biolpsy and blood work it was also determined to be-risk, as well, which is worst-case scenario.
Mikailia went right to work to help her family.
“They’re bouncing back and forth,” she said of her uncle and his family. Originally from Weymouth, where her uncle Mike grew up there. He and his wife Leidy, had moved to Nashua, N.H., not long ago for work, and must now drive to Children’s Hospital whenever Castiel needs care.
“The out-patient [care] is where it gets really expensive – with the back and forth,” Mekailia said. “If the Boston House or the Ronald McDonald housr doesn’t have a room for them that night, then it’s a lot of either driving all he way back to Nashua or paying for a hotel – and then there’s the medical bills and everything like that.”
Despite all the medical care he’s been going through, Castiel is a “sweet. Happy baby,” his proud aunt said, but she noted that the last couple of weeks have been the hardest so far. “He hasn’t been so much of his happy self of late.”
The 10-month-old has been through four rounds of chemotherapy, seven surgeries, with an eighth scheduled for Friday, July 25, being done to go after his primary tumor, which is right beside his kidney, according to Gabbert. From there, another round of chemotherapy is planned, as well as an appointment with an audiologist, because the specific type chemo he has been getting is known to damage hearing.
A full body scan is also being scheduled at that time to figure out if the tumors are responding to the doses of chemotherapy.
Besides raising some awareness of the disease, as well as raising funds to help Catiel’s parents, who have another child with special needs. .