Arianna is a natural-born dancer, having studied tap, lyrical, contemporary, and jazz.
But when she first arrived at Rady Children’s in November 2015 with a lump on her stomach, she suddenly found herself at the Hyundai Cancer Institute, diagnosed with sarcoma of the liver when she was 6.
Rady Children’s oncologists immediately explained the cancer treatment plan to her and her family and began treatment within the week. The family hadn’t spent extended time in the hospital before and didn’t know what to expect, yet Arianna’s care team of doctors, nurses, child life specialists, volunteers, and resident dogs provided care, kindness, and safety throughout surgery and treatment.
And even in the smaller moments, Rady Children’s staff and volunteers brought Arianna meals from her family during flu-season visitation restrictions and picked up her medication before she was discharged.
Arianna is grateful for her “incredible support network,” which helped her face every visit to Rady Children’s, including surgeries and infusions. She truly didn’t walk alone. In the years after Arianna’s treatment, her loved ones formed the Warrior Princess CHOC Walk team, showing support for her and the care teams at Rady Children’s. The CHOC Walk experience helped her family connect with other oncology families, including those walking in memory of their child.
Today, Arianna is healthy, back to dancing, and continuing to be a warrior princess to her family and community—volunteering her time, energy, and experiences to inspire patients and families.
