Colorado Avalanche make teen cancer survivor's dream come true through Make-A-Wish

As the Colorado Avalanche took to the ice for their morning skate at Ball Arena on Tuesday, 17-year-old Sabrina Cassano stood along the glass smiling ear to ear.

"This is honestly so incredible," the teen said.

The lifelong Avs fan and youth hockey player cheered as the pros skated past, especially when her favorite player approached.

"It's Cale Makar! It's Cale Makar!" Sabrina said.

Throughout the morning, she pointed out other stars.

"Oh, there's MacKinnon!" she said, laughing. "They're so much faster than I thought, but it's different being this close, ya know?"

The teen from Louisville had a chance to watch the team up close as part of her Make-A-Wish experience. For her parents, the morning was about more than hockey. It was a moment they weren't always certain they'd get.

"It's so nice to see her so excited and so happy after all that she went through," said her father, John Cassano.

Two years ago, Sabrina was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin's lymphoma after finding a lump in her neck. The diagnosis was frightening for the then-sophomore suddenly facing months of chemotherapy at Children's Hospital Colorado.

"It felt so isolating to have cancer in high school," she said.

Despite the grueling treatment, Sabrina stayed in school and continued playing sports when she could.

"That was definitely hard, and it was definitely taxing," she said. "But it was so, so helpful because I was still living and I was more than just a kid with cancer."

Her parents said watching her navigate the diagnosis was difficult, but it also showed her resilience and strength.

"Sabrina's gone through so much. She faced her mortality at age 15," said her mother, Liz Cassano. "So today, the [Avs are] taking the time to talk to Sabrina, and for us to be a part of this, it's just, there's not even words. It's so much fun."

"I'm just so thankful for Children's Hospital, Make-A-Wish, and of course, that Sabrina is okay right now," her father added.

After completing treatment and beating cancer, Sabrina chose a wish centered around the team she's loved for years.

"I figured it would be a ton of fun for me and my family," she said.

And a 'ton of fun' it was. In addition to the morning skate experience, Sabrina and her family also toured the Avalanche locker room, where the team presented her with a personalized jersey signed by the entire team, along with other Avs goodies.

"This is just amazing," she said.