Taking It One Day At a Time: 4-Year-Old with Grit and Resilience to be Honored at Wednesday's Dragons Game

DAYTON, Ohio—Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and the Dayton Dragons will host 4-year-old Armi during the iconic Anthem Home Run for Life program on Wednesday, July 23, at 7:05 pm, when the Dayton Dragons take on the South Bend Cubs at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.

The Anthem Home Run for Life program provides children in the Dayton region who are battling serious medical conditions with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each honoree takes a lap around the bases at Day Air Ballpark during a Dragons home game while the crowd cheers them on.

Armi’s Story

In January 2024, Armi’s parents took her to the emergency room for what they thought was a broken arm, and she was put in a sling. Armi, a tough and resilient kid, started experiencing constant nose bleeds, fevers, and bruising. In March of 2024, her mother changed her in the middle of the night, noticed a rash, and knew something was not right. Armi had capillaries burst all over her body.

The family went straight to the hospital and within three hours, tests confirmed a diagnosis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). B-ALL is a type of blood cancer where bone marrow produces too many abnormal B-cells, a type of white blood cell that fights infection. Armi was admitted to the hospital for six days. While there, she and her family worked with numerous doctors, nurses, and educators on how to navigate this new obstacle.

After a very intense nine months of treatment, Armi entered what is called the maintenance phase at the beginning of this year. This phase includes daily chemotherapy pills, checkups every six weeks, and spinal taps. Armi will be finished with all treatments in May 2026.

Armi and her family face many continued challenges on the almost two-and-a-half-year journey she is on. When asking her parents how she has adapted to this challenge, her dad said, “you wouldn’t even know she was sick, because she acts like any other 4-year-old. She’s a tough kid.”

Armi aspires to become a doctor when she is older and help little kids just like her. She enjoys reading dinosaur books, eating her favorite food, steak, and looks forward to going to preschool next year.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Dayton Dragons applaud all those who have been instrumental in Armi’s life, including her mom, dad, extended family, friends, and entire medical team.

Join us at the Dragons game on Wednesday, July 23, to celebrate Armi’s Home Run for Life.

To learn more about Anthem Home Run for Life, visit www.daytondragons.com/hrfl.