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Hilary is only eight years old. After more than a year of treatment for an extremely rare cancer, she had to undergo the amputation of her right arm and part of her shoulder to stop the disease from advancing and protect her life.
About Her Name
In Brazilian public reporting, she is known as Áurea. For international outreach, this campaign uses the name Hilary to help protect her privacy. Both names refer to the same brave child and the same medical journey.
IMAGE:uploads/campaigns/help-hilary/story-g1-01.jpg|Hilary has kept smiling through hospital stays, procedures and treatment. Photo: Family archive, as published by G1 Santos.
How Her Fight Began
Her family's fight began in April 2025, when they noticed a lump near her right elbow. An MRI revealed a tumor. After further examinations and biopsies at GRAACC, a children's cancer hospital in São Paulo, doctors identified PEComa — a rare tumor that develops from cells associated with blood vessels.
Hilary endured six cycles of chemotherapy and three surgeries. For a brief moment, her family believed the cancer was gone. They celebrated the news and tried to give her the childhood moments treatment had taken away.
IMAGE:uploads/campaigns/help-hilary/story-g1-02.jpg|Even during treatment, Hilary continued finding moments to play, smile and enjoy being a child. Photo: Family archive, as published by G1 Santos.
When the Cancer Returned
Only a few months later, the cancer returned in a more aggressive form. The tumor appeared near her armpit and again close to the elbow. Doctors tried two cycles of intensive ICE chemotherapy and later returned to the original treatment protocol, but the disease continued to progress.
Her medical team explained that removing her right arm and part of her shoulder offered the best chance to save her life. The surgery took place on July 20. According to her family, the first pathology report found no disease in nine removed lymph nodes, but she still needs close monitoring and further examinations.
When her family explained what the surgery meant, Hilary responded with extraordinary courage: she understood that it was being done so she could stay alive and get well.
IMAGE:uploads/campaigns/help-hilary/story-g1-03.jpg|Hilary's journey before and after surgery shows the courage she carries into every stage of treatment. Photo: Family archive, as published by G1 Santos.
Her New Dream: Independence
Hilary continues taking chemotherapy tablets at home every day. She returns to GRAACC every seven to fifteen days for medical follow-up, blood tests and care for her PICC line. Through all of this, her family says she keeps smiling, playing and going to school whenever she can.
Now her greatest dream is a prosthetic arm. She wants more independence for the simple things children do every day — playing, getting dressed, studying and moving through life with greater freedom. The cost of the prosthesis is beyond what her family can manage alone.
IMAGE:uploads/campaigns/help-hilary/story-g1-04.jpg|Behind every hospital visit is an eight-year-old girl who loves color, play and moments of normal childhood. Photo: Family archive, as published by G1 Santos.
How Your Support Helps
The campaign's $40,000 goal will help the family pursue a suitable prosthesis while meeting the ongoing costs of treatment, medical follow-up, medication, transportation and daily care. The campaign has raised $24,000, leaving $16,000 to reach that goal.
Every contribution can bring Hilary closer to greater independence and give her family breathing room while they remain focused on her recovery. If you cannot donate, sharing her story can help it reach someone who can.
Thank you for standing beside Hilary and her family.
Story information reported by G1 Santos on August 11, 2026. Photos: Family archive, as published by G1 Santos.
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