Finding His Voice: Gavin Morello’s Fight Against Bone Cancer

Finding the Bump

The journey began in January 2025, when Gavin’s parents noticed a bump on his head while saying goodnight.

“My husband had come over to ruffle Gavin’s hair, and he said, ‘What is that bump on your head?’” recalls Gavin’s mother, Jean Morello. “Gavin did not even know it was there.”

Initially, the family thought it might be related to his neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic disorder Gavin was born with that causes tumors to grow on nerves. These tumors are usually benign but can be cancerous.

“With his NF, the first thing that popped into our heads was that this might be another tumor,” Jean says. They quickly scheduled an MRI to investigate.

A Rapid Diagnosis

The scan, completed a few weeks later, revealed something far more concerning — a fast-growing bone tumor on Gavin’s parietal bone, located at the crown of the head. A biopsy confirmed it as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the bone, an aggressive cancer that shares treatment protocols with osteosarcoma.

“Even in those few weeks between noticing the bump and the MRI, it had doubled in size,” Jean says. “That is when we realized how aggressive this was.”

Within days, Gavin started his first round of MAP chemotherapy at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston, about 45 minutes from his home.

Adjusting to a New Reality

Navigating cancer treatment as a young adult comes with unique challenges. Just months before his diagnosis, Gavin had celebrated his 18th birthday, becoming legally responsible for his medical decisions.

“It literally just happened that he became an adult,” Jean says. “He hadn’t had to navigate too many independent things yet.”

Recognizing this sudden shift, Gavin and his parents sat down to discuss his healthcare decisions, including signing a health proxy form so his parents could help guide his care.

“It was his choice, of course,” Jean says. “We are grateful that he trusted us enough to sign it. The doctors would not have been able to tell us anything without that form.”

Focusing on the Now

Despite the shock of his diagnosis, Gavin has managed to stay focused on his passions. A talented musician, he plays trumpet and baritone in his high school marching band and is an active member of the film and video club.

Gavin dressed for prom

He attended prom and was accepted to 11 colleges. Gavin has chosen to attend the University of Maine, where he hopes to study media after his treatment.

At home, his family is doing everything they can to keep life as normal as possible.

“I am learning that there is nothing I can physically do to change his condition,” Jean says. “So, why sit around worrying? I am just trying to live life.”

Looking Ahead

Gavin’s treatment reached a major milestone on April 22, 2025, when he underwent an 11-hour surgery to remove the tumor. The surgeon was able to fully resect the tumor and achieved clean margins in every area except for one section near a major blood vessel at the base of the skull.

To address any remaining microscopic cancer cells, Gavin will begin seven weeks of proton radiation therapy. That, coupled with four remaining chemotherapy treatments, which will carry his treatment plan through the end of August.

“We are hopeful that this will get rid of this cancer for good,” Jean says.

As Gavin continues his journey, he remains the same sharp, thoughtful teenager he was before his diagnosis — just with a bit more fight in him.