At age 12, Viviana was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia after noticing symptoms like weakness, skin dots and swollen tonsils. Her journey began with a trip to the ER, where tests revealed the cancer, and she immediately started chemotherapy. Despite the challenges, Viviana stayed optimistic, using humor—like pranking her nurses—to lift her spirits and help her feel better. She even put up a sign in her hospital window saying, “please send pizza” which resulted in hundreds of pizzas sent to Rady Children’s from our local San Diego community! After a year of chemotherapy, she was cancer-free, but three months later, the cancer returned, this time requiring a bone marrow transplant.

Viviana faced even more difficulties, including a severe case of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which almost claimed her life. But with determination and the support of her family and medical team, she overcame this as well. Now, at 15, Viviana is healthy, working on school credits, enjoying time with her family and new puppy, and pursuing boxing—a sport that has helped her regain her strength and confidence.