For the month of September, we will be introducing you to four dear friends and angels touched by childhood cancer.
Today, we have the adorable Zayla!
Zayla is three years old and was diagnosed with Ganglioneuroblastoma on November 21st, 2021. Ganglioneuroblastoma is a type of cancer that develops in nerve tissues. This cancer usually occurs in children under age 5. It’s cited as being rare, however it accounts for 10% of cancers in children, and 15% of childhood cancer deaths.
Zayla was acting like your typical toddler, gnawing on things she shouldn’t have been and ended up swallowing a cat toy! Zayla’s parents took her to the hospital in their town, and was transferred to the children’s hospital in the neighbouring city so she could be scoped. The toy passed on its own, but during tests, a 9.8 cm mass was discovered on Zayla’s kidney and liver.
Zayla was admitted to hospital, had more scans and tests, and it was confirmed to be cancer.
At the beginning of December of last year, Zayla underwent a 10 hour surgery to remove the tumour. Thankfully, the surgeon was able to save her kidney.
Looking back, Zayla’s mom Kerri noted that Zayla had night sweats, fevers, many UTIs, and was very pale.
Zayla has gone through the ringer with blood transfusions, CT scans, ultrasounds, an MIBG scan, two bone marrow biopsies, and a lot of blood work. Kerri says it takes four people to successfully get blood from poor Zayla, and that the nurses at Cancer Care Manitoba are saints! We think so, too!
Zayla is currently off treatment and anxiously awaiting her next round of bloodwork and an ultrasound. Please send all the positive thoughts, prayers, and energy their way. People who haven’t had cancer or a child with cancer don’t understand the stress and anxiety that every appointment brings to the whole family. There are so many questions and unknowns; is there growth? Did they find something new? What are the blood counts?
Zayla is a feisty, independent, funny, caring kid who loves to talk and sing! She loves Paw Patrol, playing with her babies and animals (especially her cat “Keekers”), and bugging her four older brothers.
Big thanks to Kerri for letting us share about her amazing girl! We love you, Zayla!
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