Help Alayna Fight Childhood Cancer!

Help Alayna Fight Childhood Cancer

The Fight is on for Team Alayna!

Alayna Rodriguez was a happy, healthy 4-year old.  Alayna started having neck pain and trouble sleeping at night, her symptoms rapidly got worse.  After multiple visits to her pediatrician, Urgent Care and 3-visits to the Emergency Room at Valley Children’s Hospital,  an MRI revealed that Alayna had a mass on her spinal cord.  Alayna went through a 14-hour surgery to remove the mass and spent 15-days at the hospital. 

Alayna’s father Josh and her mother Eugenia could never imagine what was going to follow.  Cancer ( Ependymoma WHO Grade 3),  a diagnosis that it’s every parents worst nightmare and unfortunately that was the reality that was presented to them.  The diagnosis for a child her age based on the location of the mass is very rare and difficult to treat. After extensive research and three professional opinions, Alayna’s parents decided to take her to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee.  

Upon arrival at St. Jude and further evaluation her exam results indicated that the tumor had grown and it was quickly determined that a second surgery was required in hopes for a total tumor resection.  Alayna’s second surgery lasted 8-hours and an additional 8-days in the hospital. 

In less than 2-months Alayna had 2-major surgeries.  As soon as Alayna was cleared by her Neurosurgeon, she received Proton Beam Radiation Therapy in hopes of sparing Alayna some lifelong side effects.

At this point our beautiful Alayna  has begun chemotherapy that requires inpatient treatment.  Alayna has been a warrior for the last 8-months and has shown resilience throughout  this entire process.  Based on Alayna’s prognosis, it is estimated that she will endure a 4-month minimum of chemotherapy.  

Our primary focus is to help provide financial support for the family during this trying time. Currently, her father is residing in CA with her two siblings and her mother is by her side in Tennessee.  Our hope is to reunite the family so Alayna can feel the sense of normalcy she desperately desires.   

Joshua (father) is currently traveling intermediately between CA and Tennessee as he continues to provide for the family’s home essentials and travel expenses for himself and their 2-children. Eugenia (mother) has taken a leave from her job and is very appreciative to her employer and all of her colleagues who extended love and support.  Eugenia has ran out of paid-leave and still has a long road ahead with Alayna's treatment schedule. Our goal is to relive the family from some financial stress (mortgage payments, utilities, insurance, and other daily expenses). In addition we hope to send her two young siblings, to Tennessee so all three may spend quality time together as they did prior to this life changing diagnosis. We would like her parents to fully focus on dedicating their time to Alayna during this long road of treatment and hope of full remission.

If you are able to donate, Pray & Share it is greatly appreciated!  Please share this link with your community and Network.

Thank you!
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