Nationwide — Nova Stafford, a 7-year-old African American girl from Birmingham, Alabama, has returned home after 10 months of treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. After battling cancer for the third time, she has completed chemotherapy and surgery for osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer that affected her thigh bone.
Her family initially traveled to St. Jude for routine appointments, expecting to return home within a week. However, everything changed when Nova began experiencing leg pain in December. The pain worsened quickly, and school staff eventually had to carry her out of the building. Concerned about her daughter’s condition, her mother, Matisha Stafford, took her to the hospital for further evaluation.
According to WVTM, doctors discovered that Nova had developed cancer again. She had previously battled the disease twice, with both earlier diagnoses affecting her eye. The third diagnosis was difficult for the family to accept. Matisha said they had packed only a week’s worth of clothing for their hospital visit, never imagining they would spend the next 10 months in Memphis.
Nova underwent chemotherapy and major surgery to treat the cancer. She now has a prosthetic femur and knee to replace the affected parts of her leg. Although she has completed treatment, the experience has taken an emotional toll on the young girl. Losing her hair has been particularly difficult, and she admitted that she had been crying about it. Her mother also struggled to remain positive while watching her daughter go through another challenging cancer battle.
To help Nova cope with treatment, Matisha encouraged her with things that brought her joy, including music. The 7-year-old is a fan of Beyoncé and named “YA YA” as her favorite song, connecting its title to her grandmother, whom she calls Yaya. Music and other familiar comforts helped lift her spirits during the lengthy hospital stay.
Now that they are home, the Staffords are giving themselves time to adjust before returning to their regular routine. Matisha said the family plans to travel and enjoy new experiences before Nova goes back to school. After spending 10 months at the hospital, they want to focus on making memories together and appreciating their time outside its walls.