Wish Alum Gabriella - Then and Now
Like most middle schoolers, Gabriella Cascio vividly remembers how difficult it was, trying to figure out her niche and where she belonged. And when she was diagnosed with a critical illness, she felt more isolated than ever.
Her journey towards her diagnosis was not easy. In seventh grade, Gabriella was coping with painful and relentless migraines and while she knew something was wrong, she was often questioned by friends and doctors alike.
After days of missed school and multiple spinal taps, she was finally given an answer—she had a rare brain disease that acted similar to a tumor. While she was relived to finally know what was wrong, she now found herself coping with a rare diagnosis that many were unfamiliar with.
“It was very hard to find a community of people that knew what it was like going through an illness like that,” she said. The fact that her illness was invisible on the outside made it even more difficult to explain to family and friends.
By the time Gabriella could have her wish, she was in high school and becoming more confident in who she was at her core – and she found herself loving theater. While she was battling through multiple surgeries and frequent medical appointments, she remembers that “the one thing I could still do was the musical.”
But even coming from a strict theater background, Gabriella was in awe of the newness of the TV & Film industry. So, she wishes to visit the set of her favorite TV show at the time.
Gabriella’s wish had a profound impact on her, ultimately influencing her to become a film major when she went on to pursue her college degree in New York City.
The wish journey helped Gabriella in more ways than one, though. When she was younger, finding a support system was something she continued to struggle with, until Make-A-Wish came along.
“The only other people I found were other wish kids at events,” she said. “We all had different diagnoses, but they were the only people I could really relate to.”
Gabriella admits though, that it has been easier finding people with similar struggles as an adult, with the birth of social media.
Today, Gabriella is in remission and thriving in her adult life. She is a certified drama teacher and prides herself on the connection she builds with her students through the arts.
“The arts, especially drama, is a place where literally anybody can fit in,” she said.
Driven by her own experiences, she knows how pivotal a sense of belonging is to a young adult.
When she’s not teaching, Gabriella is still pursuing her passion for acting by regularly auditioning for a variety of roles. While her wish helped her explore the world of television, theater will always hold a special place in Gabriella’s heart.
We know that the future is bright for Gabriella and look forward to seeing her current projects unfold!