Maria was a little girl who liked to dance and draw. But especially she loved to play with her friends.

One day at school she started to feel sick.

When she got home she told her mother and they decided to go to the hospital.

After the doctors carried out diagnostic tests on her, they found out she had cancer.

Her mother was devastated but she had to be strong for her daughter.

Maria had to quit school due to the hours she had to spend at the hospital.

She wasn't able to see her friends anymore. But it was okay because the nurses were so kind to her that she considered they were her new friends.

Maria had to shave her head. She didn't feel pretty anymore and she was worried that her friends in school didn't like her anymore.