At 13, Kaliah Franklin is known for quiet confidence, flawless fashion sense and the kind of smile that makes teachers soften and friends feel instantly seen. She loves ELA class, music, skincare routines and is turning a wig-making hobby into something that makes her feel creative and grown. She was set to start eighth grade at Manning Junior High School – a year she expected would be full of honor-roll certificates, new outfits and inside jokes with her two best friends.
Instead, that year now revolves around hospital elevators, chemotherapy schedules and a battle most adults would struggle to fight.
On August 28, Kaliah was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. What began as knee pain at night – discomfort she tried to shrug off – led to scans, biopsies, and a diagnosis that her family says “turned life upside down in one afternoon.”
“She cried at first,” a relative said. “Her biggest fear was losing her leg. But she prayed, got quiet, and told us she knew God was going to heal her. She said she was going to be okay and she has never wavered from that.”
Since then, Kaliah has undergone PET scans, MRIs, heart tests, and weekly chemotherapy treatments. A major surgery is scheduled for Nov. 25. She has lost time with friends, school days, weekends at home – but not her light.
Her family says she never complains and continues to tell everyone around her that she feels great and will be okay. They say her strength is so steady that she ends up encouraging the very people trying to comfort her, even strangers who hear about her story.
Life at home has changed, but her spirit hasn’t. Kaliah is the second-oldest of five siblings, including three brothers and a sister. Two of her brothers live at home, while her oldest brother FaceTimes her daily from his first year of college.
“Even when she’s tired, her face lights up when her brothers walk in the room,” her family said. “You can’t mention them without her smiling.”
She misses school, but stays on the honor roll through hospital-room assignments and virtual work. She was looking forward to a normal eighth-grade year and her family says she still talks about returning when she’s healed.
As medical trips keep Kaliah and her mother away for several days at a time, the family faces growing financial strain – rent, utilities, travel, food, and the loss of income while her mother remains at her side. A GoFundMe has been created, and the support from classmates, strangers, church friends and local businesses has been “overwhelming in the best way,” her family said.
Now, the community is rallying again, this time through food and fellowship. Manning FFA and The Matrix Center are hosting “Cookin’ for Kaliah” on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ag shop at Manning High School. Coach Haynes, known as the school’s “Grill Master,
will fire up the smoker, with proceeds going directly to help pay for groceries, utilities, gas, and travel.
Dinner plates are $15; sandwiches are $8. Pre-orders are due Nov. 11 at noon.
“This isn’t charity,” the family said. “It’s a battle we’re fighting together. We don’t place limits on how people help — prayers, fundraising, or just showing love. Every part matters.”
Through it all, Kaliah leans on one sentence more than any other — a phrase she repeats to nurses, siblings, and anyone who tries to comfort her:
“God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.”
“She never doubts,” her family said. “She believes if God brought her to this, He’ll bring her through it. And she wants everyone praying for her to believe the same.”
HOW TO HELP
