Baton Rouge Teenager Launches Jewelry Business to Help Child Cancer Patients

Baton Rouge teenager Bella Cervantes has launched a business called Brave Bella Bead Co. to support children battling cancer, WAFB reported. The 14-year-old runs the venture alongside her mother, Robin Caronna. The pair make handmade jewelry, including bracelets, to give back to the hospital that treated Cervantes. [1]

Cervantes explained that she was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer known as retinoblastoma in her right eye when she was two years old. According to the Mayo Clinic, cited by WAFB, retinoblastoma is a rare cancer that develops in the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. [1]

Baton Rouge is the capital city of Louisiana and had a population of 227,470 people in 2020. Cervantes operates her community initiative from the city to help other young patients facing serious health battles. [1][2]