Senior Noelle Reyna had been looking forward to her first day of high school all summer. She took math classes to get ahead. She met a handful of new friends, all who would be freshmen with her that next year.

But everything changed the day before her math final when she was diagnosed with cancer. Reyna had to cancel her freshman year, trading new friends and electives for homeschooling and chemotherapy. She survived countless surgeries and hospital days, yet still found the time to help others through donating toys and playing with younger patients.

Reyna regained her strength and returned to Sage her sophomore year. On Dec. 9, she celebrated one year since finishing chemotherapy. And she saw it fitting to use that time to continue giving back.

With three of her friends, Reyna formed a Service Learning group, Healing Through Hope, to support other children who are currently undergoing the same treatment she went through.

“For our project, Healing Through Hope, we visit oncology patients at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and do crafts with them. We also raise money to buy them holiday gifts,” Reyna said.

She wanted to share her family’s tradition of bringing gifts to the children with the Sage community, and fellow seniors Lily Thomassen, Bren O’Hill and Chloe Henson were eager to help.

“My family has been bringing gifts to the hospital twice a year and I wanted to expand that,” Reyna said. “It makes such a big difference for the kids to see so many other people come and want to spend time with them.”

While her Service Learning project is also a way to give back to a community who helped her beat cancer, Reyna, who one day hopes to become a doctor, loves getting to support the kids and make them smile.

“My favorite part is playing with the kids and making them happy. It is so fun to spend the day with them, and I really want to make an impact on these kids’ lives,” Reyna said.