Adorable Alma

By Becky McCauley

Little Alma Martinez of Glenwood is so cute, "her picture should be on the side of a building," Alma's mom, Bertha, recalls with a smile when Emily, a social worker at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH), said this about her sweet 2-year-old daughter. Emily, a member of Alma's care team, was referring to the images of patients that adorn the exterior of several buildings on the Arkansas Children's Golisano Campus.

Turns out, Emily is right.

Alma is adorable and has a big, fun personality. She has a ton of energy and loves playing outside on the trampoline, riding her bike and her bouncy ball.

And, because of you, Alma is being treated for cancer at ACH — and she’s winning.

A Scary Diagnosis

In July 2025, little Alma had a growth in her nose. Her pediatrician thought it was just a pimple.

After Bertha applied ointment for a week, the area began to swell. The pediatrician sent Alma to a local ENT, who thought it might be a cyst and decided to remove it. After a two-and-a half-hour operation that was supposed to take 30 minutes, Bertha knew something was wrong.

The tissue was sent off for analysis, and the news that came back was frightening.

Alma's "pimple" was actually a rare type of tissue cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. It was four centimeters wide - about the size of a walnut - and Alma's doctors were surprised it hadn't spread. But thankfully, it hadn't.

A Feeling of Peace

Alma was referred to ACH for treatment. Bertha remembers the feeling that came over her when she first walked through the hospital doors.

"I was anxious and nervous. But when I walked in, I felt a little peace. Then, when we met the doctor, and the nurses were so welcoming … I felt even more at peace. I thought, 'God knows what he's doing, and he put us here for a reason,'" she says.

Ringing the Bell Because of You

Alma spent the next year in and out of the hospital receiving treatment, including more than a dozen rounds of chemo. Bertha says one of the toughest parts was when Alma had a port implanted to receive the chemo. "It scared me when they told me it goes directly to the heart. But the nurses explained everything that was going on and what would happen. It's very safe, and it's very rare it comes out or anything like that. That calmed me down."

According to her mom, Alma hasn't let cancer slow her down much. She lost all of her hair and about 8 pounds. But now that Alma's a few months out from treatment, "She's bouncing off the walls," says Bertha. "She gained all her weight back in about a month and a half after chemo. Her hair is already growing back. Her doctors were surprised … it usually takes about six months for it to start coming back."

And, because of your generous support, Alma got to ring the bell in July of this year! A bell ringing celebration includes family, friends and members of the patient's care team along with balloons, gifts, a cake and, of course, a bell ringing. It's held in the cancer department when a patient has finished their treatment and is declared cancer-free.

More Than You Think

Bertha says Alma’s team at ACH is “like a second family.”

"They love Alma," she says. "They'll see her come in and they're like, "Alllmmma!" She gets so excited they know her. They love her so much, and they take care of her so well. Every time they see her, it's always with a smile."

Bertha and Alma’s dad, Jorg, know their daughter is receiving the best cancer care because of you.

"No matter how much you give, thank you for everything," says Bertha. "There's so much good in the hospital that I feel needs to be supported. Your donations help so much more than you think."