Isabella (aka Bella) was born on Feb. 17, 2010 with Bladder Exstrophy.  We knew she was going to be born with her bladder on the outside of her body.  After Bella was born she came home for one month before her surgery to put her bladder inside of her body.  She spent three weeks in traction at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) recovering from her surgery.  We thought Bella had overcome the biggest challenge of her life, but little did we know that there was more to come.  During her follow-up ultrasound scans from her bladder surgery the radiologist saw masses on both of her adrenal glands, most commonly seen in Neuroblastoma cancer.  Bella was only 2 1/2 months old when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma cancer.  She had tumors on both adrenal glands, on her liver, in her chest and a few lymph nodes in her neck on the left side.  She had 8 rounds of chemotherapy, countless blood and platelet transfusions and 3 surgeries for her cancer alone.  Isabella beat her cancer all before her 1st birthday!  Bella had her last surgery for her bladder just one month after her 1st birthday.  She is a real HERO AND SURVIVOR!

Now, Isabella is 4 1/2 years old and a big sister to her little sister, Kara.  She loves spending time with her family, friends and in her dance class.  She has no signs of cancer present since Nov. 2010 and is on the road to a long life of good health and happiness!

Information provided by Jennifer Petrino, Isabella’s Mom
November 2014

Read more about Isabella’s SuperSib Kara.