Help Keep Laila's Light Shining

POV: Jennifer & Magali (older sisters of Laila & Leo, daughters of Elena Lopez)

It is with a deep and heavy heart that we believe it is time to share with you all some devastating news.

On August 11th, 2023, our 4-year-old sister, Laila Lopez, was discovered to have a tumor the size of a lime located on her brainstem. The doctors diagnosed her with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an aggressive, malignant (cancerous) brain tumor that develops in a part of the brainstem which controls important functions like heartbeat, breathing, sleeping, balance, and bladder.

Our family wants to bring awareness to DIPG as it affects around 150-300 children a year. Currently there is no cure, and the survival rate is less than 1%.

Laila’s doctors declared her tumor inoperable due to the severity and location and estimated her with a few months to 1 year max of life expectancy.

Laila Lopez (‘Laila Beans’), can be described as the most unpredictable, sweetest, fearless, independent, resilient, sassy, funny, bold, amazing, and the most determined soul. She is always the life of the party, and never fails to light up any room she enters.

We have decided to celebrate every single day she has remaining with all of us as if it were her last. The celebration of life is what is keeps our family strong and afloat.

Purpose of Go Fund Me:

The cost of all of Laila’s care will exceed our families’ resources; and is why we are kindly asking with great humbleness that you find it in your heart to help our family during this tragic period in our lives.

Many have asked how they could help. Donating towards our family would help us: (Jennifer & Magali), our mother (Elena Lopez), stepfather (Sergio Lopez), and younger siblings (Leo & Laila), focus on sharing the last few months we have left with our 'Laila Beans' by allowing our hardworking, self-employed family alleviate stress over the unbearable expenses that will eventually come.

All donation money will go towards:

-Housing expenses; for Elena & Sergio to solely focus on Laila

-Medical Expenses (medicine, radiation, therapy)

-Funeral expenses

-Any unbearable expenses that will eventually unfold

As many know, our family is very private. With some convincing, Magali and I were able to receive our mother's blessing into creating a Go Fund Me as a silent cry for help to our friends, family, and community.

For anyone interested on the events that lead up to this, please visit our website we created through Caring Bridge. Click here, or the link below, navigate to 'Journal' and you will be able to read Laila's Journey from our mother's point of view:

https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lailalopez

We thank you for taking time out of your day to read our story.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we have begun this very difficult and life changing journey.

-Jennifer, Magali, Leo, Laila, Elena, Sergio