Podcast Summary

Podcast: Stay Tranquilo
Host: Stay Tranquilo Network (Andre)
Episode: Live Like Bella CEO Nicole de Lara Puente: Fighting Childhood Cancer in Miami + Beyond
Guest: Nicole de Lara Puente, CEO of Live Like Bella
Date: February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the incredible work of the Live Like Bella Foundation, led by CEO Nicole de Lara Puente, and their ongoing fight against childhood cancer in Miami and around the world. Nicole shares her personal journey into nonprofit work, discusses the many obstacles families face when a child is diagnosed with cancer, and highlights the foundation's evolution, impact, and future vision. The conversation also explores how advocacy, legislative change, research, and survivor support intersect to create a robust network for families in need.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nicole’s Journey to Live Like Bella

• Nicole describes her career transition from media (MTV, Sony Pictures) to health care, culminating in her leadership at Live Like Bella.
• She credits "Bella tapping her on the shoulder" as her calling to join the foundation, having been moved by Bella’s story widely shared in the Miami community.
• Nicole joined the organization when it was run from a kitchen counter—her proactive involvement helped propel it into a national and international force.
  • Quote:

    “The answer to your simple question is because Bella tapped me on the shoulder.” — Nicole, [03:16]

2. The Foundation’s Core Mission & Challenges

• Financial Assistance: Providing families with challenges in paying everyday bills while undergoing treatment (e.g., rent, groceries).
• Memorial & Treatment Support: Supporting grieving families and aiding basic needs during and after treatment.
• Research Expansion: Recognizing the lack of pediatric cancer research funding, especially in Florida; the foundation pushed for structural change.
  • Quote:

    “It was very hard for families to be able to pay their very basic bills. So Live Like Bella to this day...is providing financial assistance to families while their children undergo treatment.” — Nicole, [04:28]

3. Legislative Advocacy & Research Initiatives

• Nicole details lobbying efforts that led to the creation of the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative:
  • First-ever substantial, recurring Florida state funding for childhood cancer research (through Department of Health, leveraging cigarette tax dollars).
  • Opened opportunities for non-NCI centers, including state universities, to access research grants.
• The initiative has funded 75 studies at 11 Florida institutions, broadening both research reach and diversity.
  • Quote:

    “The state of Florida has never done anything in childhood cancer.” — Recounting a legislator’s reaction, Nicole, [06:11]

4. Bridging the Gap: Families Meet Researchers

• Nicole describes organizing the first Live Like Bella Research Symposium, connecting researchers with the very families they aim to help.
• Memorable Moment:
  • A mother recognizes her son as a patient in a researcher’s case study—both moved to tears, embodying the human side of research.
    • Quote:

      "My son is patient number 13. ... Her son was very, very sick ... Logan might not be with us. And stories like Logan’s, there are dozens." — Nicole, [11:24–12:45]

5. Survivorship and Long-Term Support

• Discusses the mental, emotional, and physical challenges faced by survivors and their families, such as “survivor guilt,” logistical difficulties in accessing medical records, and the impact on life after remission.
• The foundation is developing the Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Network (CCCN), which will formalize connections across patients, researchers, and survivors, and make resources more accessible for continued support.
  • Quote:

    “A lot of survivors have something that’s referred to as survivor guilt... There are lots of issues, psychosocial issues, physical issues.” — Nicole, [19:38]

6. Building for the Future: Vision for Live Like Bella

• Network & Expertise: Establishing Live Like Bella as the definitive subject matter resource on childhood cancer—for families, policymakers, and the media.
• CCCN: Creating formal infrastructure to enhance collaboration, resource-sharing, and support—locally and globally.
  • Quote:

    “The future of Live Like Bella will be to continue providing assistance...but to increase collaboration and access.” — Nicole, [25:57]

7. “What Does It Mean to Live Like Bella?”

• Compassion is at the heart of the foundation’s values, inspired directly by Bella’s life and her mother’s encouragement during Bella’s surgery: “show compassion.”
  • Quote:

    "There are so many ways. But I think showing compassion is something we can all do more of." — Nicole, [26:34]

8. Community Event: Live Like Bella 5K

• The annual “Superhero” 5K brings together nearly 2,000 participants—children, survivors, families, and the broader community—to raise funds and awareness.
• Accessible options include virtual participation for those not in Miami (or cheering for the Super Bowl).
  • Event Details:
    • Date: Sunday, February 8
    • Location: Tropical Park, Miami
    • Registration: livelikebella5k.org
    • Promo code: "tranquilo" for listeners ([29:56])
• Festivities include music, food, and post-race beer—making it a celebratory, family-friendly event that honors the spirit of resilience and unity.
  • Quote:

    “We call it the Superhero 5K, because really, these kids are superheroes.” — Nicole, [27:33]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Moment | |-----------|---------|--------------| | 03:16 | Nicole | “The answer to your simple question is because Bella tapped me on the shoulder.” | | 06:11 | Nicole | “The state of Florida has never done anything in childhood cancer.” | | 11:24 | Nicole | “My son is patient number 13 ... Logan might not be with us. And stories like Logan’s, there are dozens.” | | 14:05 | Nicole | “You don’t always have to be the smartest person in the room. You have to be the most resourceful.” | | 17:38 | Nicole | “Justice has not been served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” | | 19:38 | Nicole | “A lot of survivors have something that’s referred to as survivor guilt ... There are lots of issues, psychosocial issues, physical issues.” | | 25:57 | Nicole | “The future of Live Like Bella will be to continue providing assistance...but to increase collaboration and access.” | | 26:34 | Nicole | “There are so many ways. But I think showing compassion is something we can all do more of.” |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:50] Nicole's career path & calling to Live Like Bella
• [04:26] Explaining financial assistance for families
• [06:09] Discovery of lack of legislative support and research funding
• [07:27] Creation and impact of the Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative
• [08:10] Nicole's personal learning curve and connecting research with families
• [11:24] Patient and researcher meet: Logan’s case
• [13:59] Process of legislative advocacy and funding innovations
• [17:38] The need for public outrage and commitment
• [19:38] Survivorship and ongoing post-cancer challenges
• [24:28] Nicole’s vision for the organization’s future
• [26:05] What "Living Like Bella" means
• [27:15] Details & spirit of the annual 5K event
• [29:56] Registration code for the 5K

Final Thoughts

This episode is an inspiring window into how one young girl's legacy continues to unite, uplift, and support families facing the unimaginable—and how a dedicated community leader can turn compassion into practical, systemic change. Nicole’s warmth and candor shine through, making even the most challenging topics accessible, and her focus on human connection, advocacy, and hope is matched by a call to action for all listeners: “We all lost a child to cancer...and it’s on us to make sure that changes.” [16:40]