A Second Chance for Ajla

Help Give our Precious Ajla a Second Chance at Life!

On January 11, 2017 our adorable cousin, Ajla (eye-luh), was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. She is only three years old. Ajla has battled through 4 major brain surgeries to try and remove the tumor. She lost a third of her weight and is in critical condition fighting for every breath. She has trouble swallowing and has been unable to eat or drink on her own. Despite her small frame, Ajla is a courageous little fighter, and we are fighting alongside her to beat childhood cancer.

Unfortunately, there is no health insurance in Albania. The financial burden on our family has been significant. Her brain surgeries have already cost over $50,000 Dollars. The next step in her fight is a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, which will cost over $200,000. We are launching this campaign so Ajla can continue to receive treatment and beat cancer. Please join us by donating as we fight to beat childhood cancer and give Ajla a second chance at life!

Get to Know Ajla:
Ajla has beautiful green eyes, adorable curly hair and a contagious smile. It is impossible not to fall in love with her once you meet her. Ajla has stolen our hearts since the day she was born, and has brought so much happiness in our lives over the last three years. She is the first and only grandchild in the family. She has shown us that unconditional love exists, has made us laugh, and has taught us to see the beauty in life.

Here are some of the things that Ajla loves:
- Ajla loves animals especially her cat, Tobi, and takes - great care of him.
- She absolutely loves to drink "coffee", hot chocolate in a coffee cup. Shhhh…don't tell her it's hot chocolate, she really thinks it's Coffee. :)
- She loves wearing her mom’s high heels and big purses, getting her nails painted and playing dress-up.
Ajla loves to dance with her grandparents & sing with her auntie.
- She is very smart and can imitate any facial expressions easily - this little monkey is full of personality.
- Her auntie Dedi is her biggest role model, and they share a very special bond. The two of them are inseparable.
- She loves to help her mom to cook and bake. Maybe someday she can be a Professional Chef.
- Most of all, she loves life and is full of joy. We can’t wait to see her beautiful smile again.

Ajla’s Fight Against AT/RT:

Ajla has Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor or AT/RT. It is a very rare and highly aggressive cancer of the central nervous system. Only 1% of all childhood brain tumors are AT/RT, and 3 in 1,000,000 children get diagnosed with this terrible disease every year.

Ajla’s symptoms started around Christmas time when she started complaining about a seemingly harmless earache. After several visits to the doctor's office, Ajla’s earache turned out to be a headache on the right side of her head that would not go away. After weeks of pain, Ajla was hospitalized. The doctor ordered initial CT scans, which revealed a large mass tumor in her Cerebellum. The medical care team in her hometown of Tirana, Albania, could not treat the complicated procedure to remove the tumor, and she was immediately flown to Athens, Greece for treatment.

Ajla underwent a 12 hour surgery to remove the large tumor in her brain, and our entire family prayed that it would be benign and little Ajla would be back to normal in no time. After the surgery and the pathology results came back our family received news that would change our lives forever. Ajla's diagnosis was a malignant, highly aggressive, and extremely rare type of cancer, AT/RT.

Since AT/RT is an extremely rare type of cancer, there are only a few centers around the world that are equipped to treat it. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include any Hospitals in Albania or Greece. Although Ajla is in a very fragile state, it is imperative that she be immediately transported via a specialized air ambulance to begin extended Chemotherapy and Radiation treatment at a specialized cancer center in Europe or the US. Right now, our family is frantically reaching out to Hospitals across Europe and the US, and trying to find a way to help pay for her needed cancer treatment.
(Source:http://www.dana-farber.org/Health-Library/Childhood-AT/RT---Atypical-Teratoid-Rhabdoid-Tumor.aspx> )

How You Can Help
Our goal is to raise $150,000 to help Ajla receive the treatment she desperately needs to fight cancer. We know that sounds like a lot, but no matter how big or small any donation is extremely important and greatly appreciated. If we can raise Just $30 from 5,000 people that would reach our goal and give Ajla a 2nd chance at life.

Even if you can’t make a donation, we would greatly appreciate it if you can help us spread the word and raise awareness of AT/RT and childhood cancer by sharing this fundraising campaign on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks.

No parent or child should ever have to go through the pain and suffering that comes with childhood cancer. Let's put an end to it together! Prayers, positive thoughts or survival stories of hope from AT/RT survivors are dearly cherished from Ajla’s family.

All the funds raised in this campaign will go to Ajla's treatment. Your contributions will help pay for her surgeries, medical travel, and Chemotherapy & Radiation treatment. Your contributions can help to save Ajla’s life.

Thank You In Advance For Your Support!

Imagine if you had a daughter battling cancer. A niece. A cousin. Or just a friend. What lengths would you go to to help her battle for her life? Ajla is giving Cancer all she has, and we can’t bear the thought of not being able to give her a fighting chance.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help and support!

All our love,

Bora, Lori and Ajla’s entire family