Better chances for childhood cancer in Brazil

For Victor, now 24, friendship goes beyond casual afternoons with childhood friends or casual conversations. He discovered that true bonds can also be forged in unlikely places, such as inside a hospital, among exams and needles.

When he was just 11 years old, the news arrived, heavy and merciless: a brain tumor. His body, which until then had been playing capoeira classes and carrying guitars full of dreams, now had to deal with chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions. “I was very scared,” he says. How do you explain to a child that, suddenly, their life was going to change? Between one medical appointment and another, the boy clung to his routine: he went to school and insisted on being himself, active and curious, while his hair lost a little volume.

It was in this scenario of uncertainty that the young man met Dr. Nasjla, our pediatric oncologist who, over time, would stop being just a health professional to become a mentor. The collection of cerebrospinal fluid, one of the most difficult moments of the treatment, became less painful under the doctor's care. “She always treated me with patience,” he recalls. By her side, he learned that, even in a hospital, there is room for affection.

The first hospitalization left an emotional scar. While still under investigation, the boy found himself surrounded for the first time by a silent environment and attentive faces. But when he was discharged in 2012, he felt as if the world was opening up again. From then on, the young man returned only for annual checkups. Time seemed to finally be blowing lightly over his life.

In 2020, he took an important step: he enrolled in medical school, determined to transform his pain into care. “I always liked the health field, but after the diagnosis, I had no doubts: I wanted to be a doctor.” He just didn’t imagine that the disease would return to test his strength once again.

After a basketball game, Victor woke up with a splitting headache. New tests confirmed the recurrence – the tumor had returned. Amid the pandemic and remote classes, he began another round of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This time, the challenge was even greater: he would need to undergo a bone marrow transplant, which was performed in May 2021.

But, as always, the young man resisted. In September that year, the long-awaited news arrived: the procedure was a success, allowing him to get his life back on track. Little by little, he returned to being who he has always been: the dedicated student, the brother who played video games in his spare time and the future doctor, inspired by those who once cared for him. “I found out that I am stronger than I imagined. I learned to value the people who are by our side and the health professionals, who work in the field out of love.”
Among these professionals, Dr. Nasjla plays an important role. Today, Victor is not only a patient, but also a future colleague – he intends to do an internship at GRAACC, under the supervision of his mentor. “Dr. Nasjla lives in my heart,” he says, with the moist look of someone who knows that, in the most difficult struggles, it is the bonds of affection and empathy that give us the strength to carry on.

Dr. Nasjla also shares the fond memories she has of the patient. “Receiving a brain tumor diagnosis is very difficult, but he paid attention to everything we explained, and throughout the treatment he behaved in this way, with the goal of healing. At no time did he show discouragement. We joked about what profession he would choose in the future, we talked about studying medicine and then coming to work at GRAACC. And today, his dream has come true. I feel very proud and am immensely fond of him,” says Dr. Nasjla, emotionally.

The young man’s journey is an example for those facing similar challenges. “Don’t let yourself be shaken. Believe in what you have faith in and give your best during treatment,” says Victor.

Because in the end, Victor’s story isn’t just about healing – it’s about what happens when we turn pain into love and create bonds that last forever. It’s about a life that, even in the most difficult moments, finds the strength to flourish.
And we can only share stories with happy endings like Victor's because we have the solidarity of so many generous and supportive partners, who help us continue offering hope and greater chances of cure.