How St. Jude patient Camila’s cancer fight inspired her sibling’s military journey

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Alexandra stood tall in her khaki uniform, a side cap positioned neatly on her head, as she lined up with the other graduating soldiers. Her legs were straight, shoulders square and eyes looking ahead. In her peripheral vision, she saw her parents, Ana and Jesus, approaching, and carrying her 3-year-old sister Camila, who wore a bright pink dress and bow. Alexandra tightened her lips as tears threatened to spill.

The moment had finally arrived. Ten grueling weeks of basic training for the U.S. Army National Guard were behind her. Alexandra had chosen her baby sister, diagnosed with cancer just a few months before she enlisted, for the “tap out.” In the military, the tap out is a tradition where a graduating soldier stands at attention until a loved one taps their shoulder, releasing them from formation. 

When Camila's tiny hand touched her, Alexandra felt a wave of emotion crash over her. Alexandra first embraced her mother, Ana, and then reached out for a smiling Camila, pulling her into a heartfelt hug.

“I missed you,” she whispered, looking straight into the little girl's eyes before wiping away her tears. 

During basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, about eight hours from her home in Kentucky, Alexandra’s thoughts often went to Camila and her close-knit family when she needed motivation. Camila, the youngest of six, had been diagnosed in September 2023 with cancer and was a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Some days she was hopeful that one day Camila would be back to herself, growing and thriving, but other days she wondered if her little body would be able to resist the treatment.  

“I know you had to be positive in these situations, but it’s also a negative thing, and so sometimes negative thoughts come in,” she said. 

A little sister’s cancer journey 

Camila was a joyful surprise for Ana and Jesus, who were raising five children. During Ana's pregnancy, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the family to isolate together, making the baby's arrival a hopeful and positive focus. Camila was a good baby, rarely crying, often smiling and always surrounded by loving arms. She was doted on by all her siblings, especially her sisters, Alexandra and Diana.

In the summer of 2023, as Alexandra prepared to move to college, Camila began experiencing belly aches and a loss of appetite. Ana noticed Camila's stomach had grown and felt hard, prompting further tests during an emergency visit at a local hospital. Camila was admitted, and tests revealed Wilms tumor, the most common type of kidney tumor in children. She was diagnosed just a few days before her third birthday. Her parents canceled her princess-themed birthday party and prayed for future birthdays. 

Within days of her diagnosis, Camila underwent surgery to remove her left kidney and tumors in her liver. She was then referred to St. Jude for further treatment, because she fit the criteria for SJWT21, a clinical trial investigating the use of proton beam radiotherapy to reduce the radiation field to treat Wilms tumor without damaging nearby tissue. Wilms tumor like Camila’s often requires surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for treatment. Proton beam radiotherapy can deliver most of the radiation inside a tumor, causing less damage to surrounding tissue.

“I felt relief that she was going to have a better chance at St. Jude,” Ana said.  

At St. Jude, doctors discovered the cancer had spread to Camila's lungs. She started proton beam radiation therapy to her lungs, liver and the area around her kidney and received more than 30 weeks of chemotherapy that relied on five different chemotherapy agents due to the spread of the cancer. Slowly, Camila started to feel better. She regained her appetite and energy. 

“Here I have a lot of hope,” Ana said while at St. Jude.  

Around the same time, Camila was diagnosed, Alexandra moved into her dorm room at Eastern Kentucky University. When she learned of her sister’s cancer, Alexandra decided to leave college to join the National Guard to support her family financially. She figured it was the best way to help her mom, who had to leave her job and focus on Camila. 

“This way the Army could pay for my college, and the money I would get from the Army, the paycheck, I could give to my mom,” Alexandra explained. 

Alexandra had participated in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in high school. She had also debated joining the military before she decided to enroll in college. She decided to join the Army National Guard because after training it would allow her to be home and continue training one weekend a month while leaving open the possibility of one day joining the military full-time. 

Ana and Camila had moved to Memphis for Camila’s treatment. They stayed at The Domino’s Village, which provides short- and long-term lodging for St. Jude patients and their families. Housing facilities allow some patients to get parts of their treatment on an outpatient basis, providing them and their families with a feeling of home, something that can provide some solace when a family is separated geographically due to treatment. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live. While waiting to go to basic training, Alexandra visited St. Jude to help care for Camila. 

During those visits, it was tough for Alexandra to see Camila tired and sick. It was even tougher leaving her for basic training. 

When Alexandra arrived at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, Camila still had about a month left of chemotherapy to finish. Alexandra hung photos of Camila and their mom on her locker door as a constant reminder of what mattered most. 

“It reminded me that everything I was doing was for her and for her health,” she said. 

At basic combat training, Alexandra’s days were full of classes, physical activities and long marches. She often focused on Camila to get through the toughest times. Camila finished treatment in May of 2024 and returned home soon after. She returns to St. Jude for regular checkups, and her most recent scans show no evidence of cancer. Her health continues to improve. 

Alexandra finished training that June. Her parents, Camila and her other siblings — Jesus, 21, Diana 17, Jovanni, 15, and Anthony, 11 — made the long drive to South Carolina. They had missed Alexandra and couldn’t wait to see her in person. They carried balloons and gifts.

As Alexandra stood in formation on her graduation day, she felt many emotions, including a sense of accomplishment. The journey that began with her baby sister's cancer diagnosis had come full circle. As she looked into Camila’s eyes, Alexandra was reminded that Camila was not just her inspiration, but also her light in the most challenging moments. Joining the National Guard was not just a personal achievement, it was a commitment to serve and protect others, inspired by the strength and unity of her family.