Ridge teen who conquered cancer gives to others

Inspirational would be just one of the words to describe the very brave and charitable Alexandra Capellini, who back in November, 2011, received an unexpected visit from celebrity Justin Long at Poly Prep, because of her unselfish work with DoSomething.org. She describes the whole thing as being “ the craziest thing that happened to me.”

Long came to honor Capellini, who had put together a drive to collect DVDs, board games, and arts and crafts materials at St. Andrew’s Church. The drive was a big success, with about 200 items donated to the children at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

Alexandra herself is no stranger to hardship, as she lost her right leg due to bone cancer at the very young age of seven, but she is fearlessly living her life despite the challenges that she has faced. Capellini states that it was a little difficult to adjust to wearing a prosthetic leg, but more than that, during middle school, she had to deal with people staring at her, she said, noting, “It was a little difficult because people were scared to approach me.”

She has certainly not allowed anything to slow her down, as she vigorously participates in activities such as rock climbing, track, skiing, and swimming. Alexandra spends some of her time at the Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports, a place where a sports camp is organized for amputees.

When asked how she feels about her parents’ continuous devotion to her health, she said, “My parents are pretty awesome and very supportive. They pushed me to be independent, to do chores and walk the dog, I’m really thankful for the two of them.” She also mentioned about her younger sister Sophia, “she is always helping me out.”

On the topic of allowing Alexandra to feel independent, Alexandra’s mother, Diane Donchak, stated, “I was kind of scared to push her independence, but I do it because I think it’s good for her.”

Capellini is now 16 and doing quite well in her junior year. She feels extremely supported by friends, family, and teachers. When she’s not busy playing the clarinet in the band or working as the editor of the school newspaper, she dedicates her time to being part of the Cambodia Club, which raises money for a school in Cambodia. Alexandra said, “I find it really rewarding to help someone in a tough situation, because it goes a long way, and every act of kindness is appreciated.”

In discussing her future plans, Alexandra enthusiastically said she wants to be a doctor who makes a difference in other people’s lives, and wants to specialize as a pediatric oncologist. She was deeply inspired by her doctor, Dr. Meyers, and states, “I felt inspired, because he was doing such important work.” This summer, Alexandra hopes to volunteer her time at the same place that helped save her life, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

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