Briana :: High Risk T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

It has almost been a year since life changed forever for Briana and her family. On April 14, 2011, Briana’s mother took her to urgent care after finding purple spots all over her neck and chest. The doctor dismissed it as an allergic reaction and sent her home with a dose of benedryl. By the next day, the spots had spread all over her body and they were accompanied by a nose bleed. The following day Briana had a nose bleed so severe that her parents decided to take her back to urgent care, since it had not relented for over two hours. Briana was then transferred to Hanford Hospital, where doctor’s knew she needed immediate medical attention at Valley Children’s. Once there, doctors ran a plethora of blood tests, and quickly came to a horrifying conclusion; Briana had leukemia. The next day, the specific diagnosis was declared; T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This brave little seven year old began chemotherapy immediately, and continued to receive weekly chemo treatments until December of last year. Since then, she has been on an oral chemo regimen, and she also goes in once a month for treatments in the hospital.

Briana is an amazingly faithful little girl. She continues to pray with her family for strength and healing, and has been an immense inspiration for her family during this difficult time. She is also a girly girl! She loves to dance, sing, draw, and play with her Barbies and her two brothers. As of today, Briana’s blood counts are looking great as she continues to fight towards remission, inspiring everyone around her with her infallible joy, optimism, and faith.