Cassie was a lively five-year-old when she fell ill with what doctors dismissed as a “simple viral infection.” Within days she lost her voice, but no bacterial test was done. Her parents followed medical advice to wait, unaware that a throat swab and antibiotics could have saved her.

Her symptoms worsened—labored breathing, fatigue, and distress. At the ER, she tested negative for COVID-19 and RSV, yet was again told it was viral. No one considered strep A, one of the most common bacterial infections in children. A quick swab could have confirmed it, and “treatment involves antibiotics, typically penicillin or amoxicillin.”

At home, Cassie collapsed in her mother’s arms. Paramedics rushed her to Westmead Children’s Hospital, where doctors tried for 78 minutes to revive her. On August 28, 2023, her parents were told she was brain dead. Only then was a swab taken—confirming strep A.

Strep A causes around 616 million infections and 500,000 deaths worldwide each year. It spreads easily and is often misdiagnosed as viral. Without treatment, it can escalate to rheumatic fever or death.

Cassie’s final gift was organ donation. On September 1, Jersey Day, her organs saved three children. Her stepfather called her a “real-life superhero.”