What began as a seemingly ordinary illness turned into an unimaginable nightmare for the Kassis family.

When 5-year-old Cathy Kassis started showing signs of illness, her parents took her to the doctor, hoping for reassurance and a swift recovery. Doctors initially dismissed her symptoms as nothing more than a common cold, reassuring her family that she would be fine in a few days.

But tragically, that wasn’t the case.

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Her Condition Quickly Deteriorated

Cathy’s health began to worsen rapidly. According to her mother Jasmine, the little girl’s breathing became increasingly labored—“like an asthma attack or someone suffering from emphysema.” Her distress was obvious, yet still, no urgent red flags were raised by healthcare providers.

When Cathy was rushed to the emergency room, doctors performed limited testing—checking only for COVID-19 and RSV. Both results came back negative.

Shockingly, no further bacterial tests were conducted, and Cathy was not prescribed antibiotics, despite worsening respiratory symptoms.

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The Silent Killer: Group A Strep

What Cathy was really suffering from was group A Streptococcus—commonly known as Strep A—a bacterial infection that, while usually treatable with antibiotics, can become deadly if left undiagnosed.

Strep A affects millions of children globally every year and is typically manageable with timely medical intervention. However, when neglected, it can trigger severe complications like sepsis, toxic shock syndrome, and multi-organ failure.

That’s exactly what happened to Cathy.

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A Mother's Worst Nightmare

After her second hospital visit, Cathy’s condition dramatically worsened.

“She was going in and out of consciousness and had sort of collapsed in Jaz’s arms,” said her stepfather, Justin.

Her lips turned blue, she lost consciousness, and Justin was forced to perform CPR for 10 to 15 minutes while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Cathy was then airlifted to Westmead Children’s Hospital, where doctors worked heroically to save her.

Medical staff performed 78 minutes of continuous CPR in an attempt to revive her, but the prolonged lack of oxygen had already caused irreversible brain damage.

By the time Strep A was properly diagnosed, Cathy’s organs had begun to fail. There was nothing more doctors could do.

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A Life Lost Too Soon

Cathy’s story is more than just a tragic medical failure—it’s a powerful reminder of the critical importance of thorough diagnosis and early intervention.

“What I’ve said to everyone is we’re going to worry about those doctors later because that’s a fight for a different day,” Justin said.

“Right now, we just want to make sure no other parent ever has to go through what we did.”

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A Hero in the End

Even in death, Cathy continued to make an impact. Her parents made the courageous decision to donate her organs as part of Jersey Day, a national campaign that raises awareness about organ donation.

Their loss gave the gift of life to three other families.

“I just want people to know who Cathy is and what she was able to do,” said her father, Jason.

“She epitomizes a real-life superhero, and not many people can say that.”

“Something that’s been the worst moment of our lives… at least she was able to save three other families, which is a beautiful thing.”

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Final Thoughts

Cathy Kassis should be here today. Her tragic story is a harsh wake-up call for the medical community and a plea for all parents to trust their instincts and push for answers when their child’s symptoms don’t feel right.

Strep A is common, treatable, and often overlooked. But stories like Cathy’s remind us: misdiagnosis can be fatal.

Let her memory serve as a light in the darkness, and may her legacy continue through the lives she saved.