A Drive Undeterred
The Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. (CCF) was introduced to survivor Bella Teta by way of CCF’s Scientific Advisory Board member Brian Rood, M.D., Director of Clinical Neuro-oncology at Children’s National, who described her as his hero. As of Spring 2025, Bella is completing her first year as a biology major at George Mason University. Getting through the first year of college is an accomplishment for anyone, but what Bella overcame in the last five years to get here was indeed nothing short of heroic.
At age 15, the 9th grader from Gainesville, VA began to experience migraines. Following several visits to her pediatrician plus a neurologist, she met with an ophthalmologist who found extreme pressure being placed on one of her eyes and urgently referred her to Children’s National. An MRI showed that Bella had a large tumor in the center of her brain ventricles, the fluid-filled cavities in the center of the brain designed to protect the brain and spinal cord. Bella’s care team at Children’s National diagnosed her tumor as a central neurocytoma (CNC), a very rare brain tumor often found in young adults and presumed to be benign, but one that needed to be removed quickly as fluid was building up.
Following the removal of the tumor, Bella endured 6 weeks of radiation therapy and spinal fluid drains, but ultimately developed hydrocephalus, compressing her optic nerves. Despite all the efforts to alleviate the pressure, Bella lost her vision permanently, seeing only light variations. Additionally, Bella would need to return each year to have MRIs to ensure that the tumor did not return.
Following surgery and radiation, Bella continued with school in the Fall, still held online due to COVID, but requiring significant educational services and supports. Bella learned to read Braille and adapt her mobility and technology to enable this new learning process. She graduated from Battlefield High School in Haymarket, VA in 2023. Following graduation, she participated in a year-long program in Colorado with the National Federation of the Blind, designed for vision-impaired individuals to develop the skills needed to achieve independent living.
Unfortunately, in July 2024, her MRI revealed that the tumor had returned, just weeks before she was to begin her first year at George Mason University. The tumor regrowth meant more treatment, including radiation, forcing Bella to take a part-time load of courses in September 2024. However, Bella is now a full-time student for the Spring 2025 semester! Her dedication to learning, despite incredibly adversity, is awe-inspiring.
CCF is thrilled to report that Bella has agreed to share her story on June 4, 2025 at the 9th Annual CCF Research Symposium.
