As Daniel’s grandmother, Gale Cassady, shared his story, it was clear just how much this young man has endured—and how much courage he has shown along the way.
Daniel Newman, connected to the Mobile, Alabama area, was just 13 years old when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in August 2020.
During the summer of 2020 he began experiencing severe headaches. He told his father he thought he had a brain tumor. After an MRI confirmed a golf-ball-sized mass at the base of his skull, the family was directed to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. There, Daniel underwent roughly five hours of surgery. Pathology confirmed medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumor.
A treatment plan was developed at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital that included seven weeks of proton radiation followed by four months of chemotherapy. The radiation caused significant side effects, including hair loss, loss of appetite, substantial weight loss, and high-frequency hearing loss.
In March 2021, as the family prepared to mark the end of chemotherapy, Daniel’s blood counts plummeted. He developed septic shock, became unable to breathe, and was transferred back to Le Bonheur. Doctors told his parents and loved ones he most likely would not survive the night.
Daniel was placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to support his circulation. His heart stopped four times—once for ten minutes. He was also placed on a ventilator and dialysis. Further complications included heart swelling that required emergency surgery and severe discoloration of his left leg that raised the possibility of amputation.
Despite these life-threatening setbacks, the medical team refused to give up. After two weeks he was transferred back to St. Jude, where he spent additional time in intensive care. His grandmother Gale Cassady and other family members have publicly shared updates and expressed ongoing gratitude for the many “miracles” they witnessed during his fight.
Daniel’s journey illustrates both the aggressive nature of medulloblastoma in children and the extraordinary resilience required to face repeated medical crises. His story continues to be shared by family as a testament to courage, faith, and perseverance.
