Join Leila’s journey: Help and support her Cancer battle

She will begin her senior year at Azle High School later this year and plans on attending Texas Tech after graduation. Some of you may have supported and prayed for me through my cancer journey. Unfortunately, Leila is about to begin her own cancer journey.

Leila has persevered competing with cheer while having bone pain and neck pain which led to the chest pain that became so unbearable it sent her to the emergency room on 2/18/25. That’s what led her to MD Anderson Cancer center in Houston for further extensive testing which resulted in finding that she has some type of cancer in the blood produced from her bone marrow. Her hematologist has a bone marrow biopsy fully sedated under general anesthesia set up for her on 5/5/25. They think she has a type of leukemia but only after the bone marrow biopsy will they be able to know the exact type of cancer she has and which treatment will be best effective in treating it.

Anyone that has been affected by cancer knows how taxing it can be on your family emotionally and financially. Our family is still recovering financially from my own cancer treatment which I still have going on. My wife Tiffany was forced to quit her job after Leila’s diagnosis and I am needed at home for our family. I’m blessed with a local job with some flexibility, but with a pay cut that is not half of what I made prior to my cancer diagnosis.

My life and our families have changed dramatically back in 2021 when I was diagnosed with kidney and thyroid cancer. After a long battle we began to see some form of normal again. Now our 17 year old daughter is about to go through some of the same and yet completely different struggles and challenges that myself and many others have had to face. With Leila being so young it is very important to us that she get the best possible care which we believe is at Md Anderson in Houston, where I am also a patient. People travel from all over the world to get diagnosed, treatment and care there. They have advanced technology that nowhere else has, trials and studies coming up with innovative ways of treatment for complex and new types of cancers and disorders to give a better overall prognosis and quality of life. We are so blessed to be accepted and to have this amazing team working with Leila, that has diagnosed her and on it. However it comes with the extra financial costs that we are asking for the help and support of friends and family for our Leila Lou.

We are in need of support to help compensate the second income that we will not have with Tiffany now caring for Leila full time. That entails including driving her to and from Houston and all other care such as advocating and being the worlds most amazing mother. Sometimes it may only be for 2 days or like this last trip it was 12 days and was not expected, therefore took extra costs for them to stay as they weren’t prepared.  The donations will help cover monthly expenses, travel expenses, comfort measures for Leila that have us needing extra padding in pillows and blankets, expensive food that they have to eat when we are there for 8 hours a day, smoothies with protein which have become what Leila can tolerate best currently with her nausea, parking (which is 20 dollars a day for valet) and it’s miles to walk if they don’t and if they stay with family that live a hour away they have to valet. When Leila starts treatment which will be new to us, we will update along the way and any new expenses as well.  Anyone  who has gone through cancer or any serious chronic medical illness understands how crucial it is to have the emotional, spiritual and financial support to make it through. Sharing our unique and difficult story is crucial to our cause and needs necessary for Leila to continue at MD Anderson. We are so grateful for anything you are able to give or share. Any donation of even $5 would be amazing. 

Thank you and God Bless!