Seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers compete—and win—against the Yankees in the first two games of the World Series reinvigorated a mother and daughter battling cancer, KTLA 5 reports. [Update: The Dodgers won the World Series on October 30!]

 

In July 2023, Cassidy Duran, 19, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a rare brain cancer, just one month after her mother, Genny Duran, had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

The two women have undergone multiple treatments, including surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy specific to their cancer types.

 

Despite their health challenges, the baseball-loving family has experienced a boost in motivation thanks to their favorite team’s winning streak in the World Series.

 

“It gives us something to look forward to,” Genny told KTLA.

 

With her extended family by her side, Cassidy, dressed from head to toe in Dodgers paraphernalia watched the Dodgers defeat the Yankees in games 1 and 2 from her hospital room at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. According to Genny, the hospital room erupted in cheers after Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 1.

 

“You’re watching this, and you’re not even thinking about the pain or the medical side of everything. You’re just watching and cheering,” Cassidy told KTLA.

 

“I think they’ll win it this year. I definitely do,” she said. “I’d say in six.”

 

[Editor’s note: After winning three games in a row, the Yankees forced game 5 in the World Series with their victory at Yankee Stadium last night.]

 

Medulloblastomas are fast-growing tumors that can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord through cerebrospinal fluid. In the United States, about 435 people are diagnosed with medulloblastoma annually. Medulloblastoma accounts for about 20% of all childhood brain tumors, and about 75% of medulloblastomas occur in children under 10 years old, according to the Medulloblastoma Resource Network.

 

Although children are most commonly diagnosed with medulloblastomas, they typically affect people between 20 and 40 years old, according to the National Cancer Institute.

 

The five-year survival rate for medulloblastoma is about 80%, though the rate can vary depending on age, spread, subtype and recurrence.

 

This week, Cassidy will begin her final chemotherapy treatment. Her mom has several more rounds to go.

 

“Both Genny and Cassidy have been in and out of the hospital with no more than a few days between admissions,” a family member wrote on the duo’s GoFundMe page, which has raised almost $14,700. “Regardless of their constant pain, they have always put on a brave face and smile every day.”

 

Click here to donate to the family’s GoFundMe.

 

For more, click #Medulloblastoma. There you’ll find headlines such as “Watch Michael Strahan’s Teen Daughter Discuss Her Brain Tumor” and “For Kids with Medulloblastoma, Trial Suggests Radiation Can Be Tailored.”

 

To read more on #Breast Cancer, see Cancer Health’s Basics on Breast Cancer. It reads in part:

 

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Regular screening for breast cancer can detect the disease early, when it is easier to treat. Professional guidelines vary in how often they recommend screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that women at average risk should start screening at age 40. All women and men who notice a new mass, lump or other changes in their breasts should report this to their health care provider.

 

If a mammogram detects changes in the breasts, an ultrasound may be done for further examination. Once diagnosed with breast cancer, MRI scans are usually done to assess the size of the tumor, look for additional tumors and determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the breasts.

 

A breast biopsy, or examination of a tissue sample, may be done to determine whether a tumor is malignant. Genomic testing of a tumor sample provides more information about the type of cancer and how best to treat it.

 

How is breast cancer treated?

Treatment for breast cancer depends on how advanced the cancer is when it is detected, including number and size of tumors and whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

 

Treatment can be broken down into local and systemic therapies. Local therapies, such as surgery and radiation, treat cancer in the breast. Systemic treatments, which can reach cancer cells that have spread elsewhere in the body, typically cause more side effects.