Francesca Arnaudo, Age 10
CALIFORNIA
UC Davis Childrens Hospital
Cancer
Before the T-ball practice that started it all, no one knew that Francesca Arnaudo of Ripon, Calif., would defy all the odds. She was only 6 when a fall on the T-ball field resulted in an X-ray of her right arm. The test revealed bone cancer—a disease that affects just three children in a million.
A year of chemotherapy began immediately. When the tumor had shrunk enough, an ambitious attempt was made to save Francesca’s arm through a complex surgery removing most of her right humerus and attaching a titanium prosthesis in its place. The surgery gave her full use of her arm for nearly a year, but ongoing chemotherapy impaired the bone’s healing. A second operation by one of the country’s top specialists saved her arm once again. But the celebration was short-lived. Two weeks later Francesca was diagnosed with another cancer: secondary acute myeloid leukemia, which has a cure rate of less than 10 percent. A stem cell transplant was her only hope. Thankfully a match was found quickly. After the transplant and a 41-day hospital stay, Francesca had beaten the odds once more.
Now 10, Francesca has use of both arms and has been in full remission for two years. She is a powerhouse of optimism who actively raises awareness of childhood cancer, uses her art to help others heal and shares her story to inspire hope.
