LEXINGTON, Ky. — When Seren Cadwell was diagnosed with cancer on her 11th birthday, her parents expected fear and sadness. Instead, they found their daughter transforming her treatment into something unexpected: an adventure filled with joy and laughter.

According to a University of Kentucky News story, Seren was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer that typically affects young children, after visiting her pediatrician in September 2024 for stomach issues and a visible lump on her side.

Her care team at UK Golisano Children's DanceBlue Hematology-Oncology Clinic worked to keep her spirits high throughout her treatment journey. "That's an extraordinary group of people who can make cancer fun," said DJ Cadwell, Seren's father, recounting how the clinic staff and student volunteers turned chemotherapy appointments into engaging experiences with games, arts and crafts, and companionship.

Seren's initial treatment consisted of aggressive chemotherapy to shrink her tumor. When the tumor proved resistant to the initial approach, she was sent to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, a procedure that delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumor's blood supply. Surgeons there successfully removed two-thirds of her liver in March 2025.

The setback came when further testing revealed a secondary cancer diagnosis—hepatocellular malignant neoplasm, not otherwise specified (HMN-NOS)—so rare that fewer than 30 cases have been reported in the last decade. Dr. John D'Orazio, division chief of pediatric oncology, noted: "Seren's kind of liver tumor is even rarer than that. There isn't a lot of literature out there to guide therapeutic choices."

Throughout her extended treatment, which lasted more than 14 months, Seren missed months of school. However, the clinic's PAWS (Providing Assistance With Schools) Program coordinated with her school to ensure she remained current with her classmates, a critical support the Cadwell family deeply appreciated.

On Dec. 29, 2025, Seren rang the bell signaling the end of her treatment, surrounded by the care team that had become her "second family." She is now 12 and in remission, with cancer no longer part of her daily reality.

Today, the seventh-grader reflects on her journey with remarkable perspective. "I never really felt sad because I trusted them during it," she said of her medical team. "I had a fun time with all the nurses and students there that helped me and hung out with me and made me laugh and smile. They made it fun."

Seren now aspires to become a pediatric nurse, a career choice rooted directly in her experience. One of her friends recently became a patient at the DanceBlue Clinic, and Seren has already begun supporting her through treatment—paying forward the compassion and joy she received.