Fan Casting Littlest Cancer Patient in Sort by Tropes

A particularly risky form of The Woobie, which is much more likely (though not certain) to fail than be successful with the audience. The Littlest Cancer Patient, as you may have guessed from the title, is a small child, rarely over the age of nine, with some form of terminal disease — although they may be in recovery. Cancer couldn't kill them, and neither can a small apocalypse. This character's sole reason for existence is to tug your heartstrings so hard they're torn from your chest.