MHS’ Morello fights cancer while crushing senior year

Endures surgery, chemo in between classes, band concert, prom & job

By Melissa Fili
MethuenLife Writer

Senior year can be exhausting!

There’s the stress of awaiting college acceptances, finishing classes and projects, performing in end-of-year concerts, working an after-school job, going to the prom and planning for the future.

Methuen High senior Gavin Morello has done all that … AND an 11-hour surgery, plus chemotherapy treatments and side effects, after a lump on his head was diagnosed as cancer last February.

“He just plows through and accepts feeling crappy – but he keeps going,” says mom Jean, acknowledging that a PARENT may not think performing in a Jazz Band concert after 16 hours of chemo is a good idea, but a TEEN might disagree. “We don’t stand in his way.”

Just last month, Gavin attended MHS’ senior prom.

“We were in Boston all day for an initial screening and platelet transfusion. We got home and he had 20 minutes to get ready and go to a friend’s for pictures,” Jean chuckles. “He had a great time, which was awesome!”

As a child, Gavin was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors and mildly affected him. At first, it was thought that the new lump on his head was related. An MRI revealed that the lump was actually a sarcoma which is cancerous.

“The doctor called and said, ‘I’m sorry.’ He sent us on to Oncology. It’s very rare, even with neurofibromatosis,” Jean said. “It was terribly shocking and definitely not on our radar.”

Several rounds of chemo shrunk the tumor, allowing for it to be surgically removed last April.

Despite all of the doctor and hospital visits, side effects from treatment, worry about getting sick due to low immunity, etc., Gavin carried on with senior year. He was accepted to all the colleges he applied to, including UMaine and Syracuse! He works at the after-school program at the Timony. He continues serving as president of the MHS Film & Video Club and performing with the MHS Marching, Concert and Jazz bands.

“I am always proud of his strength to come in when he can to participate,” Band Director Brian McGonagle said of Gavin, a 4-year band member who has played trumpet and baritone horn. “He actually has been in a lot more than I initially expected, so he’s definitely pushing through this and is very strong-willed! … He always came in with a positive attitude and was just resilient through it all!”

In addition to creating a documentary about Methuen High in the 1980s called “MHS Beyond the Walls” (available on YouTube) and taking part in Senior Seminar, Gavin has helped the Film & Video Club prep for live shoots by planning, training students on the video gear and offering feedback.

“Gavin continues to put in as much time as he can and still has the motivation to jump into action when there is a job to be done,” Film & Video Club adviser Bryan Wilkins tells MethuenLife. “While his health challenges have slowed him down and caused his attendance to be negatively affected, he is still a positive role model for hard work and dedication. From the very beginning as a Film & Video 1 student, Gavin would always go above and beyond for each and every project. He is not only the type of person that loves the creativity and technology involved in film production, but he also loves people and the team aspects of working on a video project.”

Jean is so thankful for those who continue to support them on this journey. Gavin is a huge college and pro sports fan – especially the Bruins. To cheer him up during those early treatments, there was a Hat Drive. When dozens – and dozens! – of hats came in, the Morello family donated extras to Jimmy Fund Clinic patients.

“We also have really close friends supporting us – it’s a good network of friends and family,” Jean said.

Next up for Gavin is graduation, plus 4 more cycles of chemo at the Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston and 7 weeks of radiation at Mass General. He will defer attendance at UMaine for at least 1 semester, where he will major in New Media, a combination of film and TV editing. And in October, it’s important for his family to take part in the Jimmy Fund Walk (see box) to support an organization that has helped Gavin through an extraordinarily tough senior year!

“Gavin is truly an amazing person,” teacher Wilkins said. “He is overwhelmingly humble and has difficulty taking compliments. But if anyone ever doubts his humble demeanor, they will soon find a person that is driven, gritty, and will never give up no matter how hard the challenge.”