Janel's Fight

No words a parent ever wants to hear, "Your child has cancer."

My name is Erika, and I am creating this fundraiser to help out my lead medical assistant, Deseray, with the devastating news of finding out her daughter Janel was recently diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Janel is a young, beautiful 11-year-old living her life like any other little girl would in the 5th grade. She is the youngest of 3, yet so independent. As her mother would say, "She is my rock and continues to be my rock through the toughest battle she is up against in her life."

It all started when Janel's right calf was abnormally growing bigger and became painful. The pediatrician informed her it was a Charlie Horse and would eventually go away. But, Deseray, with her motherly instinct and medical intuition, didn't believe it was just a Charlie Horse and took all further steps to find out why her daughter's calf continued to grow larger and larger each day. Finally, after multiple radiology tests, doctor visits, and biopsies, Des was informed Janel had Stage III Rhabdomyosarcoma.

For those of you who are unaware of Rhabdomyosarcoma, it is a rare form of cancer that forms in soft tissue. RMS can affect any age but is most commonly found in adolescents.

Janel is whole-heartedly remaining positive throughout this beginning process of a whole new life. Deseray, who is a widowed mother, needs to remain all her focus on her 11-year-old with the number of doctor visits, chemo treatments, radiation, etc., her daughter is up against. Over the next few days, weeks, months, or years Deseray and Janel will be entertained by medical professionals. The last thing I would want Deseray to worry about is everyday costs, such as bills, food, gas, or any other living expense.

This will fortify Deseray as Janel's rock, in addition to helping her other two daughters, throughout this battle of a horrible disease we call... cancer.

<3#Janel