Help Lila Fight Leukemia

First, I want to thank you for being here and taking the time to help support our family.

I’ve started this GoFundMe page on behalf of my niece Lila Mathew. She has recently turned 14 years old and started her freshman year in High School. As many of you know, Lila has had quite the journey throughout her 14 years of life. For those of you who don’t know much of her story, I’d like to share with you a bit.

Lila was born August 3rd 2009, and had the odds stacked against her from the start. She had a stroke in utero, due to lack of effort by medical staff to deliver her in a timely manner. Therefore, she has been formally diagnosed with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Dystonia, Scoliosis, developmental delay, she’s strictly g-tube fed and non-verbal, among other diagnoses. Lila’s mom Sarah (my sister) and her step-dad Brandon are her sole care providers 24/7. There have been monthly and bi-monthly routine doctors appointments for Lila since the start of her precious life. As a special needs family, you try to prepare for everything, you are given guidance and create a form of acceptance for certain things to expect in the future. But one thing you can never prepare for, and one word a parent never wants to hear, is Leukemia.

On September 18th, 2023, our family was hit with the devastating news that our Lila girl has Pre B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The oncologists have informed my sister and brother-in-law that this will be a long, hard road that Lila is about to embark on. More difficult than anyone can imagine.

Lila’s difficult path in life just got a whole lot harder. And through all of the hard times Lila has endured, she has managed to be one of the happiest, brightest lights of our lives. She loves horses, bright colors and school. Unfortunately, she will not be able to attend school anymore due to her condition.

Many friends and family have asked how they can help, and this is the best way I could come up with to help support if you so can. Although my sister and brother in law are fortunate enough to have jobs they can still rely on to an extent, this is going to take a toll on their livelihoods. Lila’s road to recovery will be several long, rough years and a costly journey. They will have to travel weekly for the next two years for treatments and extended hospital stays. With that said, anything that can help improve Lila’s quality of life during this process and help take any stress off of the family would be more appreciated than anyone could know. She is their number one priority and we all look forward to the day where we can say, Lila is cancer free!

Please keep Lila in your thoughts, prayers, and keep sending healing, positive vibes. We are grateful to have you following and supporting her. You can keep following along Lila’s journey on instagram @LilasJourneyCP_Leukemia. Hug your loved ones and tell them how much they mean to you.