Event Description
Kyana is 13 years old and is the baby of her family. She is blessed with two loving parents, Kimberly and Fernando, as well as two older brothers and two older sisters, Antonio, Laurel, Timothy, and Mikaya. Kyana’s bond with her siblings is like no other. She would go to the world’s end for them. Just like most siblings, competition does not run short in this family. Kyana loves to compete against her older sister Mikaya in volleyball, often fighting for Mikaya’s spot on the court. Kyana has also always been a very health conscious, active person – she was writing her own diet and training plan with hopes of joining the military, like her Mom. Little did she know that her life would change unexpectedly.
As the bright, young soul that Kyana is, she began to notice some changes within herself. More specifically, Kyana noticed her energy level was lower than normal and she was always feeling fatigued. As an active teenager who is constantly on the go, she found herself always wanting to sleep and within more recent months she started feeling worse. Kim, Kyana’s Mother decided to take her in for what she thought was going to be a routine visit to the doctor. Later that day, they received a phone call that would change their future. The voice on the other end of the phone line told them to return to the hospital, immediately.
On June 19, 2018, Kyana was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) - a life-threatening, aggressive form of blood cancer. AML begins in the bone marrow and eventually spreads throughout the body. Currently, Kyana has 20% of her bone marrow affected by this horrific cancer and the cells have now entered her bloodstream. Kyana’s family was left stunned by the news. How could it be? An extremely healthy, active teenage girl now sick with a disease most commonly found in older people. Acute Myeloid Leukemia is generally uncommon before the age of 45. The average age of a patient with AML is about 68 years old… Kyana is only 13!
Considering that Kyana is so young and otherwise in good health, her chances of full recovery are higher than normal. Her treatment is going to be long, painful, and an expensive process. She will have to endure rounds of intense chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. Due to the treatment, her immune system will lower significantly than of a healthy teenager.
Kyana is in the midst of going through her first round of chemotherapy. Her body is learning how to react to the treatment and the sudden changes, such as her body temperature. Kyana has recently spiked a fever that is ranging from 101-104 degrees and is difficult to control. Since Kyana’s diagnosis, her Mom and her siblings have not left her side. Her fighting, kindred spirit has kept her going since the day she walked into the hospital.
Kyana is receiving the best care possible from her medical team, family, and friends. Her journey is going to be long and she will endure obstacles to overcome, but we know in our hearts and with her relentless drive, she will beat this!
As anyone could imagine, this turmoil is taking its toll on Kyana and her family, both emotionally and financially. The medical treatment is vital for her survival and as you can expect, expenses are adding up. Kim, Kyana’s Mom, has also had to take emergency leave from the Air Force to care for Kyana. These funds will help contribute to medical, pharmaceutical, transportation, care-taking and general living expenses during the course of this process, so Kyana can focus on a full recovery. No donation is too small! We will continue to update you all on Kyana’s progress throughout her treatment as she slays Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Thank you to everyone from the bottom of our hearts for your support and generosity!
