Virginia Beach Teen Grace Wildey Completes Cancer Treatment

Fifteen-year-old Grace Wildey of Virginia Beach, diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma on Oct. 12, 2025, has completed her treatment and now volunteers to support other young cancer patients while considering a future career in pediatric oncology, wavy.com reported.

Stage 4 Diagnosis and Hospital Treatment

Grace Wildey’s medical journey began in the spring of 2025 when a mysterious lump appeared on her neck. Subsequent medical testing revealed the full extent of the disease throughout her body. Kimberly Wildey, Grace’s mother, noted that initial X-rays of her lungs showed more than 20 nodes lit up, in addition to the mass in her neck and lesions down the lower part of her spine. The Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis came as a severe shock to the family. Kimberly Wildey admitted that watching her healthy teenager face such a serious illness brought immense fear regarding her survival.

Despite enduring nearly a year of demanding hospital stays and chemotherapy sessions, Grace Wildey maintained an unwavering positive outlook. She told 10 On Your Side reporter Angela Bohon that she simply knew she would make it through without overthinking the situation. The family received encouraging news on Dec. 24, 2025, when doctors reported that the chemotherapy was working effectively. By June, Grace reached a major milestone by ringing the ceremonial bell to mark the end of her treatment after doctors declared her cancer-free.

Volunteer Work and Community Partnerships

Transitioning out of a strict medical schedule required an emotional adjustment for the teenager, who noted that she sometimes feels scared that the cancer might return now that she no longer visits doctors every other week. To channel her experience into positive action, Grace Wildey began volunteering by delivering handmade wooden wig stands to other cancer patients. A local group named Tidewater Turners crafts the wooden stands. Her mother expressed deep pride in watching her daughter show such strength and serve as an encouraging example to other children currently undergoing treatment.

Alongside her individual volunteer efforts, the Wildey family has collaborated with local organizations Toby’s Dream Foundation and Wings Over Leukemia and Lymphoma to help raise funds and awareness. Reflecting on her time in hospitals and her interactions with medical staff, Grace Wildey stated that she is strongly considering becoming a pediatric oncologist in the future.