No parent ever wants to hear that their child has cancer, but that is the reality for the Bove family. They said despite getting that devastating news, with their Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary family behind them and with support from Blood Cancer United, this dark, painful journey has turned into a resilient life of advocacy.
Because of this resiliency, Annabella Bove is the pediatric honored hero for Blood Cancer United’s Annual Light the Night event.
“Annabella is the light,” said her mother, Tara Bove. “She is no stranger anywhere she goes. She is outgoing and friendly and energetic.”
Annabella is now 6 years old and is still undergoing treatment, but she is much stronger than she was when she was diagnosed at age 4 with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Tara Bove and Annabella’s father, Kevin Bove, noticed an abrupt change in her personality.
“We had no experience with this,” Tara Bove said. “So, it was a hard thing to face. When she wasn’t doing well, I just knew something was off. Instinctually, I knew because things were happening that didn’t make sense.”
They said the color of Annabella’s face started to change and she eventually began complaining about pain in her arm.
“We took her to the pediatrician because we wanted to make sure she was OK even though she hadn’t fallen or anything,” Tara Bove said. “She was examined, and they said she was fine, but then she continued to complain more and more.”
She said they ultimately requested some blood work to be done, and when the labs came back, the family’s life changed.
“Within 24 hours of that taking place, we were in the emergency room because the results of her lab work indicated she was a very sick little girl,” Tara Bove said. “It wasn’t until two doctors walked in and said, ‘Mrs. Bove, why don’t you sit down,’ that my heart just sunk because I knew what I was going to hear was going to be hard.”
B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or B-ALL, is a fast-growing blood cancer that started in Annabella’s bone marrow, making too many immature white blood cells.
Annabella endured multiple hospital stays and chemo treatments so painful that the experience was traumatic at times.
But Annabella kept fighting, growing stronger with prayer warriors in every corner of her life.
That’s why her parents are beyond thankful for Blood Cancer United and the research they’ve done to help medical professionals create a two-and-a-half-year treatment plan with a 90% to 95% cure rate.
“Whenever I would hear Tara talk to the nurses, it was almost like she was talking to a peer because she had done so much studying and researching everything she could about this diagnosis,” Kevin Bove said. “We have been sticking with this protocol, so hopefully when we get through it, we will be on the other end of this.”
Being faithful believers in God, the family went from questioning God to thanking him for giving them such a testimony that could ultimately benefit the world.
“There is going to be other people who need help, so our eyes are wide open,” he said. “God gave us this testimony so we are going to share this testimony as he puts other people in our lives.”
Annabella is in a maintenance phase and will continue her treatments through April 2027.
As the honorary hero of Blood Cancer United’s fundraising event, her Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School family has formed a fundraising team called “Sing a Little Louder for Annabella” in honor of the Christian song, “Raise a Hallelujah.” They will all sing during Annabella’s hospital treatments through toy microphones, keeping her spirits high.
The family is extremely grateful for the love and care the school has provided them during this time, especially from teachers like Amee Davis who taught Annabella in kindergarten.
“We were having playdates before she could come to school to the point where when she got here, it was like a homecoming,” Davis said.
“The way her spirit and her energy was knowing what she was going through every day and seeing her be such a role model for the other kids through bravery and strength and resilience and kindness and caring … it changed me,” Davis said emotionally.
If you’d like to join them in donating to blood cancer research, visit their fundraising page, “Tara Bove’s Sing A Little Louder for Annabella Light The Night Fundraiser.”
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