Bella

Meet Bella!

Bella was born at just 28 weeks and has faced a complex medical journey—from battling bacterial meningitis and hydrocephalus as an infant, to undergoing multiple brain surgeries and managing cerebral palsy. At age 10, she faced a shunt malfunction, followed by complications, infections, and another surgery during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the hardest moments, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital child life team made sure Bella never missed the magic of being a kid. She spent holidays in the hospital, but they filled her days with themed activities, music therapy, and visits from a support dog who brought her comfort.

During Girl Scout Cookie season, Bella decorated her hospital room and sold cookies from her bed—over 500 boxes! Doctors, nurses, child life specialists, and family all joined in to support her. The next year, her troop donated another 500 boxes to the hospital in her honor.

The medical care saved Bella’s life. The child life team gave her joy, purpose, and a reason to smile—when she needed it most. #TeamCHA #FAD2025