Cassandra Joy Seal, 38, of Tuscumbia, passed away suddenly on September 16, 2022. Born in Monroeville to Bonita Lynn Higdon, Cassandra came by her love of travel honestly, spending the first years of her life in cities across the Southeast before ultimately settling in Muscle Shoals.
Kind, compassionate, and quick-thinking, Cassandra built a storied and accomplished 15-year career as an RN at Helen Keller Hospital (HKH), initially as an integral member of the medical care teams in both the Intensive Care Unit and Cardiac Cath Lab. But it was in 2015 that Cassandra began the work that was to become her life’s passion. Following certification as a Breast Patient Navigator from the National Consortium of Breast Centers, Cassandra accepted a position as Breast Health Specialist in HKH’s world-renowned Breast Program, pouring every ounce of her boundless energy and talents into improving the lives and well-being of breast cancer patients and their families. An outspoken proponent of evidence-based education and quality care, Cassandra’s expertise was quickly recognized by patients, colleagues, and superiors, alike, leading to her promotion as Director of the Breast Health Program for HKH in 2018. Cassandra quickly gained a reputation for going above and beyond in assisting patients as they navigated the healthcare system following a cancer diagnosis, and provided each patient with care that was anchored in wisdom, encouragement, and love—oftentimes supporting them in endeavors beyond the walls of the hospital. A lifelong advocate of women’s health, she helped her patients overcome barriers to treatment, manage the financial aspects of a cancer diagnosis, and lobbied for additional community support and resources.
There is no greater evidence of her dedication to others than her selection as the Director of Education for Helen Keller Hospital—a role she undertook in addition to her duties as Director of the Breast Health Program. A shining example of all that a nurse should be, Cassandra’s legacy is that of a true leader in the field and an RN who never passed up the chance to provide loving and expert care inside the hospital while also ensuring her patients had the education to continue care once they got home.
In 2003, Cassandra welcomed her daughter, Kira, into the world, and from that moment, poured every ounce of her love into raising the incredible young woman who she often described as “her whole world.” In 2011, Cassandra met Jennifer Moseley, and the two quickly became inseparable. Both avid travelers, Cassandra and Jennifer were engaged in Japan and married a year later in a fairytale ceremony at Minard Castle in Dingle, Ireland. Cassandra loved to plan trips both near and far for family and friends, traveling to such destinations as Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, The Bahamas, Belize, U.S. National Parks, and one of her hometown favorites: a kayaking trip down Cypress Creek. No matter the location, Cassandra loved making memories with her family and friends. In life, Cassandra always measured up to her namesake: “Joy.” Her boundless love and contagious laughter made her the life of the party at the numerous dinners, game nights, pool parties, and holiday gatherings she hosted. True to form, Cassandra’s goal was always to make others feel welcomed, loved, and cherished—and no one left her home or her presence without a full stomach, a smile on their face, and the feeling that they were “one of the family.”
Cassandra is survived by her wife, Jennifer Moseley, and her daughter, Kira Seal, and Kira’s long-term boyfriend, Tony Vazquez, as well as her mother, Bonita Lynn Higdon, brother, Michael Higdon, grandmother and grandfather, Faye and Red Heis, and numerous beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, John and Shirley Moseley, and by her great-grandmother, Julia Rhinehart.
A Celebration of Life for Cassandra will be held on Sunday, September 25, from 2-5pm at Pickett Place in Florence, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you contribute to the Helen Keller Hospital Foundation: P.O. Box 610; Sheffield, AL 35660 (256-386-4747).
