Lubbock girl rings bell to celebrate end of cancer treatment, return to soccer field

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A Lubbock 11-year-old is back on the soccer field, after spending a year and a half in hospital rooms. Cataleya Carrasco rang the bell inside UMC Children’s Hospital Thursday, marking the end of her cancer treatment.

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To the tune of “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” and cheers from her family and friends, Cat walked toward her new future. She’s celebrating the end of her cancer treatment and the beginning of her journey back to her first love, playing soccer.

“All that we’ve ever asked for is just prayers. Prayers, more prayers. And I think...in the midst of it all, we say God will answer prayers. And I think he’s answering them,” her dad, Tommy Carrasco, said.

Cat underwent emergency surgery in early 2024, after she was diagnosed with a rare type of brain tumor. The tears at her bell-ringing ceremony represent a year and a half of hard days and Cat’s strength to overcome them.

Dr. Tiva Kasemsri, Medical Director of the PICU, says Cat gave the UMC staff the confidence she would one day ring that bell.

“From an ICU perspective, we never know what happens for the long term, so we always hope that a day like this would come. And when I saw it on my calendar...I’m grateful,” he said. “She was inspiration for us all. And it should be the opposite. I mean, she should be resting. She should be recuperating. But she’s the one who inspired my team, myself to be better.”

There is still a small spot her doctors are watching, but her community continues to pray the cancer will not reoccur for a very long time.

“The grace of God, really, it knows how to bring people together in the midst of...these unwavering moments that we don’t wish on anybody,” Tommy said. “But to have all of her family, grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins and teachers, doctors, nurses, and the soccer community. It was such a blessing to have everybody here.”

The soccer star has already had her first practice with her dad, but he’s excited about everything else her new future holds.

“Her journey moving forward is school. It’s just, just being a little girl, again. Soccer is one of the biggest things on her mind. But if she can just be a little lady and not talk about medicine, that’s a big step,” he said.