My Story of Struggle, Hope, and a Dream: Mikaela

My name is Mikaela Maldonado, and I am 14 years old. When I had barely turned one, the word "cancer" entered my family's life. I was diagnosed with a tumor in the optic nerve: "Low Grade Glioma, Pilocytic Astrocytoma Stage 3." As you can imagine, it wasn't pleasant news for anyone, and it marked the beginning of a childhood very different from that of other children.

From that moment on, I spent a great deal of my time in the hospital. I left my footprints in operating rooms, emergency rooms, and visiting ophthalmologists, dermatologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, and oncologists. Receiving chemotherapy treatment has been a difficult journey. The treatments left me without hair, my skin suffered from dermatitis, and my hemoglobin was never stable. My white blood cells dropped drastically after each session, and I often had to return to the emergency room with a fever, which meant weeks, and even months, hospitalized. Everything caused me nausea and left me exhausted.

It has been a very demanding road. I had to travel to the United States three times, seeking help at different hospitals. Currently, I am in Philadelphia, where I underwent surgery to determine the tumor's category and thus be able to continue with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the tumor has damaged my vision: I can no longer see anything with my right eye, and my left eye sees very little. I had to leave my school to start anew at a school for the blind, and there I have learned a great deal about how to use a cane, which allows me to navigate with more independence.

But I must be honest, despite my daily effort and everything I've learned, sometimes I miss so much being able to see colors, read my favorite books, or simply walk without a care. My biggest dream is to be cured of cancer and be a normal child. I haven't been able to do many things that other kids my age do, and I wish to do everything: play, run, study without limitations, explore the world without the shadow of illness.

This illness has not only affected me but also my family, who have sacrificed so much to be by my side. Seeing them worried about the treatments and the day-to-day weighs heavily on me. That's why, with my heart in my hand, I dare to ask for your help. Every donation gives us the strength to continue this battle, to cover my treatments, and for me to keep fighting for a future full of hope.

Your support is the light I need to achieve my dream of being a normal child and living a full life. Thank you for reading my story and for considering being a part of my road to recovery!