Robin Cervantes was scrolling through Facebook on a Friday night when an article caught her attention. A young girl in Australia was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer after her mother noticed a white glint in one of the child’s eyes. Robin’s heart sank. Just like the article photos showed, Robin realized that when she took photos of her two-year-old daughter, Bella, one of her eyes glowed white against the flash of light instead of red.  against the flash of light instead of red.

The next morning, Robin held a finger in front of Bella’s right eye and observed no reaction. Bella was half-blind. A few hours later, they were at the ER in North Oaks Hospital, where an ultrasound showed tumors all throughout the inside of Bella’s right eye. 

Within two weeks, Bella was admitted to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer that occurs in children. Three days later, her eye was removed and eventually, a prosthetic took its place. 

What Started as a Hobby    

It’s been 11 years since Bella’s cancer diagnosis. Now, Bella spends her time doing the things she loves: playing soccer, spending time with her family and friends, and designing bracelets. “Making bracelets is my favorite thing to do, I can do it all day and I never get bored,” Bella says. At 13 years old, Bella has her own jewelry brand called Brave Bella Bead Co. that she runs alongside her mother. The company initially started as a way for Bella to raise money for a pair of braces by simply doing a hobby she loved. 

“Thinking about it then, I never expected it to be how it is now. A week after I got my braces and it started taking off, we thought, okay, what do we do now?” Bella reflects, looking back on the journey after local retailers in their hometown of Hammond, Louisiana, began reaching out to sell her bracelets in their stores. 

“We decided–Let’s donate a portion of our sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and we could actually step it up and make this into an actual business and LLC.” 

Bringing Awareness

The mother-daughter duo realized that what they were doing was more than just a jewelry business. “Bella made the SLU soccer and basketball teams bracelets. I remember at one point, Coach Alya, the basketball coach, had all of the girls in a circle to inspire them and tell them Bella’s story, and it just clicked,” Robin says. “Like, wow. This is inspiring these older people.” 

Reflecting on that moment, she shares the purpose behind their motto, “Your Style, Your Impact.” “You can get through anything. Like, this kid’s doing it. You can do it. No matter what you’re faced with, what adversity you were faced with, you can do anything. And so, somehow, the branding just works. The goal is to bring awareness.”

Holding on to Faith & Inspiring Others

From speaking to crowds on stages in New York City to visiting college students at philanthropic events, Bella’s passion and eagerness to share her story is shown through her confidence. “It makes me proud of myself,” Bella says, “I always want to keep doing more things, you know?” For anyone that might be going through something like Bella, her message to them is this: “Never lose confidence, and never give up.”

What helped Robin through her daughter’s initial diagnosis? “My faith,” Robin recalls. “I shouldn’t have seen that article. It was totally random. I repeated [to myself], over and over, God’s plans for her are good, and he loves her more than I ever could. I would not have been able to get through it without that.”  

What’s Next?

For Robin and Bella, this is only the beginning of the plans they have ahead. The duo already has lists of custom orders, a website to keep stocked, and events lined up to attend. Next on their to-do list is a children’s book about the business, Bella’s story, and to ultimately bring awareness. 

Bella hasn’t let her life go down a path of letting cancer get in the way. She’s chosen to overcome her obstacles and embrace the challenges by rising above and becoming an advocate through perseverance and personal virtue.