Teen Beats Cancer Twice, Now Thriving as Nursing Student

When Alayna Riozzi-Bodine told her dad she felt like she was dying the day before her triathlon, she had no idea how right she was. One month later, her mom discovered a golf ball-sized mass above her collarbone, and the active New Jersey lifeguard's world turned upside down.

In September 2021, doctors diagnosed the 17-year-old with Stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma. She missed most of her senior year, but Riozzi-Bodine refused to lose herself to the disease.

She became the first pediatric patient at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to use a cold cap during chemotherapy, a then-experimental treatment that helped preserve her hair. She also froze her eggs to protect her future fertility, taking control where she could in an uncontrollable situation.

"I feel like it did give me a sense of control," Riozzi-Bodine said. "I could look in the mirror and I could see myself."

Eight rounds of chemotherapy later, she was declared cancer-free during her freshman year of college. But less than a year later, scans revealed the cancer had returned, more aggressive this time.

The second battle meant losing the hair she'd fought so hard to keep. This time, she shaved her head and faced the fight head-on with more intensive treatments, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and ultimately a stem cell transplant.

Her care team transformed what could have been her darkest day into a celebration, decorating her transplant room with Taylor Swift posters and playing music during the two-hour procedure. "It was probably one of the hardest moments of my life," she said. "But they made the time go by so quick."

Why This Inspires

Riozzi-Bodine's nurses didn't just administer treatment. They showed her what compassionate care looks like, strengthening her resolve to become a nurse herself. Through six weeks of isolation and countless hard days, they carried her through with hope and humanity.

Today, Riozzi-Bodine is cancer-free and back in school, pursuing her nursing degree. The young woman who once asked "Am I going to live?" is now preparing to save lives herself, turning her hardest moments into her greatest purpose.