Anna Arabia, the only child of Kathy and Joe Arabia of North Adams, Massachusetts, was 13 when she was diagnosed with gliomatosis cerebri, a rare, rapidly-growing brain cancer. Unlike other tumors, gliomatosis cerebri does not form into lumps; instead it is threadlike, invading multiple lobes of the brain, making it impossible to remove surgically. Anna died on Feb. 14, 2013. She was 16 years old.
Anna’s story
Born in China and adopted into the Arabia family at 9 months old, Kathy describes Anna as “a fun, energetic girl who loved hanging out with her friends, loved computers and technology, and her iPhone.” She was a performer, a member of the drama club and the high school band. And she was a helper too, “able to turn even her most difficult challenges into ways to help others.”
A simple slip and fall, followed by a seizure, was the first indication something was wrong.
