S. Fla. Girl, Bella, Dies After 6-Year Battle With Cancer
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A young South Florida girl has died after a six-year battle with cancer. Bella Rodriguez-Torres, a 10-year-old girl featured on CBS4 News earlier this year, passed away Tuesday surrounded by family and loved ones.
Bella was under hospice care since the beginning of May, according to her parents Raymond and Shannah.
Shannah told CBS4 News Tuesday afternoon, Bella didn't "lose her battle with cancer but instead won the reward of an eternal life."
CBS4 News reported Bella's return to Miami in March after she spent six weeks receiving intensive cancer treatment in Houston.
Despite those treatments, her parents said on May 8th that Bella's organs began failing. Her kidney and lung functions were greatly affected and her bone marrow was exhausted. In addition, her parents said ultrasounds of Bella's lungs showed new disease on the lining.
Shannah's mother said they exhausted all possible options to treat her cancer.
"There are few words that can describe what it feels like to have to make a decision of this magnitude. While it has been painstaking to decide to no longer fight and now just ensure her comfort, we are at peace," said her mother Shannah at the beginning of the month.
Bella spent more than half her life in a grueling battle against an aggressive form of cancer.
Diagnosed at age four with rhabdomyosarcoma, she went through chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
