September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Broward teen celebrates beating it twice
FORT LAUDERDALE - As September marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we're sharing the story of a Broward County girl who beat cancer not once - but twice.
At just ten years old, Amanda Aiello was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer.
"I didn't know what it meant at the time, I thought I just had to get a treatment," said Amanda.
Then just three years after celebrating being cancer free - a relapse.
"Suddenly we're telling this family again your daughter has cancer," said Dr. Hector Rodriguez-Cortez, Pediatric Hematology-Oncologist with Broward Health Physician Group.
Doctors at Broward Health Medical Center determined the best option was a bone marrow transplant and refered the family to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
"Her blood work was off and it was another whirlwind, just extremely terrifying because treatment would be a transplant," said Amanda's mother Shannon Aiello.
Amanda was in luck thanks to an anonymous and complete match.
She's now in remission and getting back to being a teenager with the goal of running in a 5K.
"She's back to her normal, she's back to being Amanda and this is the Amanda we wanted to see," said Dr. Rodriguez-Cortez.
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer rates among kids have been rising slightly over the past few decades.