Grapevine 8th grader gets #AGTough, beats rare form of cancer twice
GRAPEVINE (CBSNewsTexas.com) — On the outside, Annabelle Grace "AG" Bartel is your typical eighth grade girl, but the journey she's been on is far from normal.
"One day, my life just turned upside down," AG said.
In the fourth grade, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her arm, a type of bone cancer that her mom says is so rare that she had a better chance of being struck by lighting.
"We just started to look at...how do we fight this? And how can we do everything we can to save her life?" Leslie Bartel said.
It has been said that if you make it to three years in remission, the liklihood that it'll return dwindles.
"AG was thrilled to walk into that three-year appointment this summer," Bartel said. "But it didn't go to plan."
They knew something was majorly wrong when they got the call.
Cancer, twice. This time, two spots on her lungs.
Fortunately, surgeons were able to remove them with clear margins, meaning she was now cancer free for a second time.
"Coming into middle school with all of this...it was really hard," AG said. "My mom always used to say, 'There's not much you can't do, it just might look a little different.'"
With limited mobility in her arm and cancer just removed from her lungs, AG has adjusted to sports and extracurriculars in her own way—her school supporting her all the way.
"The first day she walked in...it was [a] 'you're not going to keep me from doing things' kind of attitude. Which I loved," said athletic coordinator Nichole Cruson.
When she missed picture day this year, Heritage Middle School staff wore purple to show they are #AGTough, a hashtag that's also been placed on signs, shirts and bracelets.
This year, they've also hosted "Purple outs" at both football and volleyball games.
It is support she says she's needed during one of the hardest times of her life.
"We can't always be at the hospital with her, but we're here at school purpling out for her, or we're at practice praying for her," said Camryn Parker, a friend of AG's.
And now, she's working toward a new goal—year three, again.
"My teachers and friends were amazing," AG said. "Helping me live a normal life while fighting cancer."
