VCU news

By Cheryle Rodriguez

A chance meeting at the Community Health Education Center in the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center‘s Gateway Building turned into an opportunity for two Hopewell girls to raise money to help a stranger – 11-year-old cancer patient Francesca Smith.

Ann Carter, a hospital volunteer, met Patricia Guardiola and her daughter, Francesca, when the pair made one of many visits to the VCU Medical Center Pediatric Oncology Center for Francesca’s treatment for a rare, aggressive cancer called synovial sarcoma. 

Carter learned about Francesca’s brave fight and shared it with a friend, who told her granddaughters, Alyssa, 12, and Amaya, 9.

“Because our mom went through challenges, when we heard about her, we felt like we needed to do something,” said Alyssa.

Alyssa’s mother, who is a quadriplegic, agreed, and that’s when the family began praying for Francesca and raising money by holding a yard sale and setting up a lemonade stand.  
“I thought it was great to help other people,” said Amaya. “It felt good to collect money for someone I didn’t know.”

With the help of Carter, who calls herself the girls’ adopted grandmother, they made arrangements with the Pediatric Oncology Center to meet Francesca and give her the nearly $500 they raised. They donated the remainder of the money to another cancer patient.

“I was really surprised when they came in here,” said Francesca. “I feel really grateful—and feel like I’ve made new friends.”

Francesca’s mother was equally grateful and said, “I think it’s wonderful that young people want to take incentive to do something for someone else. The generosity and kindness we have experienced is just blowing me away.”