Thirteen-year-old Chloe Villegas, an Edcouch-Elsa mariachi student, was born with a gift for music—a gift that has carried her through one of the toughest journeys of her young life.
Diagnosed with leukemia earlier last year, Chloe has leaned on music as a source of strength, comfort, and hope throughout her treatment. Accustomed to performing for judges, crowds, and her family, Chloe now shares her talent with a different audience: her fellow patients at the Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children’s Cancer and Hematology Clinic and the broader Rio Grande Valley community.
Chloe is well known around the clinic for regularly singing during her visits. However, during a scheduled checkup last Wednesday, she arrived with something extra special.
“Her two brothers, mom, and grandmother accompanied her for Wednesday’s treatment, and they put on a special performance for the clinic,” wrote Yadhira Huerta, Social Worker for the Vannie Cook Clinic. “This family uses music as a way to cope with the situation that they are in.”
Music runs deep in Chloe’s family. Her grandmother is a member of the renowned Los Hermanos Layton, a Tejano/Tex-Mex band inducted into the Tejano Music Walk of Fame and widely popular across the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. That legacy of musical tradition continues through Chloe, whose voice brings encouragement not only to her family, but to those facing similar battles.
This year, Chloe is also serving as a patient ambassador for the clinic, helping support fundraising efforts for the 2026 Radiothon. Through her advocacy and performances, she continues to inspire others with resilience, faith, and the healing power of music.
Chloe’s story is a reminder that even in the face of hardship, passion and purpose can shine—and that sometimes, the most powerful medicine comes from the heart.