Meet CCA Hero, Caoimhe

Little Caoimhe (pronounced KWEE-va), has a personality that sparkles just as brightly as her big blue eyes. Her family had recently moved to Portland from Dublin, Ireland, when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A series of painful treatments followed — but even after weekly chemotherapy and 12 blood transfusions, little Caoimhe is still always ready for a friendly game of Twister or UNO.

If you really want to see Caoimhe light up, play “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars. Her list of favorite things includes dollies, ranch dressing, and playing with her Chemo Pal mentor, Megan. They love doing each other’s nails and anything that involves glitter.

Wise beyond her years, Caoimhe already knows what she wants to be when she grows up: a pediatrician. Until then, she gets plenty of practice working on her bedside manner with her brother and two sisters. “Sometimes we’ll feel scared for her during a procedure, but she always put us at ease,” says her brother, Darragh. “She’s the strongest girl I know.”