A Texas teen who beat most cancers twice shares her story
Annabelle Grace Bartel, often known as “AG,” is all about remaining energetic.
The 13-year-old is a volleyball supervisor, a basketball supervisor and a volunteer, however maybe her best feat is the truth that she has crushed most cancers twice.
“It is undoubtedly the toughest factor that I’ve ever been by,” she informed USA TODAY Wednesday night.
The Eighth-grader lives in Colleyville, Texas, about 22 miles northeast of Fort Value and was first identified with osteosarcoma, a uncommon sort of bone most cancers, in December of 2019. A softball participant on the time, she informed her mother and father she was experiencing muscle weak spot in her left arm.
She needed to bear surgical procedure on her left arm. Docs eliminated a cancerous humerus and changed it with a donor bone, her mom, Leslie Bartel shared.
“Her left arm is definitely the scale of a nine-year-old as a result of it does not develop,” her mom stated. “It is a lifeless bone … Should you take a look at her arms, one is so much shorter than the opposite one and she or he has restricted use of that arm, so she will be able to solely elevate her arm about eye-level.”
After the surgical procedure, her most cancers was in remission for 3 years. Docs scanned her usually to verify she was cancer-free after which in August of 2023, medical doctors seen a spot on her lungs.
She had surgical procedure on Sept. 11 to deal with it.
“They did get clear margins, so she is cancer-free once more for the second time,” her mom shared.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, got here isolation
AG stated when she was first identified with most cancers, it felt like a studying stage. The second time round, it was a bit simpler to listen to the information.
One of many hardest elements of her journey was when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Strict rules prevented family and friends from visiting her on the hospital like they usually may and solely considered one of her mother and father may go to her at a time.
“FaceTime turned my greatest good friend,” AG shared.
When she was hospitalized, her mother would assist her beautify her hospital rooms, celebrating holidays just like the Fourth of July and Christmas. Additionally they tried out themes corresponding to make-up, unicorns, rainbows and pajamas.
“One week, we did a cooking theme and we truly realized to make cookies within the microwave,” her mother shared.
And all through all of this, AG has needed to juggle college work. Her most up-to-date bout with most cancers compelled her to actually apply herself as a result of she was out of college for fairly some time.
“Being in all AP lessons, it is actually arduous to catch up,” she shared.
Her mom stated she’s all caught up now although and has straight As.
“She’s simply type of again to full velocity, even seven weeks post-surgery,” her mother stated. “She’s dwelling each minute of life she will be able to.”
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Teenager has undergone medical trials since remedy choices are scarce
AG has osteosarcoma, one of many rarest, oldest kinds of childhood most cancers. If sufferers relapse, it’s normally detected within the lungs and there haven’t been many developments in remedy, stated AG’s mom.
“There are not any normal choices for teenagers that relapse for osteosarcoma which were confirmed to work,” her mom shared.
This led her household to signal her up for medical trials, together with immunotherapy referred to as Mepact, which is utilized in some European international locations and boosts the immune system to kill most cancers cells.
“It is an immunotherapy given over the course of 48 weeks,” her mom stated. “By way of the Compassionate Use Act, we have been in a position to get that for her.”
She’s at the moment collaborating in a medical trial the place she will get an infusion each three weeks. If she stays cancer-free, she’ll proceed for 48 weeks, her mom stated.
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AG has impressed her mother and father to do higher, they are saying
AG’s father, Eric Bartel, stated her journey has impressed him to understand each second and to be extra affected person along with his kids.
“We’re much more tender-hearted and compassionate in direction of others, much more forgiving,” he shared, including that he hates most cancers and what it does to individuals.
“She’s 13 years previous and she or he has actually walked by hell twice now,” he stated about AG. “It’s extremely arduous as a dad to see. If I may take it from her and put it in my lungs and take it from her, I might do it in a nanosecond.”
AG is doing nicely nowadays although. She’s concerned in cheer, theater and is a coach’s assistant for volleyball, monitor, basketball, subject and soccer. She’s additionally on the tennis crew.
She desires to encourage individuals to maintain going.
“While you’re on remedy, you need to hold dwelling and hold preventing,” AG stated. “At all times dwell life to the fullest every day since you by no means know when it may be your final. You’re cherished. Your life issues.”
To maintain up with AG, verify social media for the hashtag #AGtough or go to www.linktr.ee/agtough.
