CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — According to St. Jude's Research Hospital, more than 290 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer every week. September marks Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remember these young patients and their families.
Diana Colin and her family keeps albums filled with photos of 9-year-old Neveyah Reyes, who passed away on December 6, 2019, just six months after being diagnosed with leukemia.
"She helped me in gardening. She was my dancing partner when she was a little girl. You know, just little things like that," Colin said.
Michelle Benavides, Neveyah's grandmother, recalls the confusing symptoms that preceded the diagnosis.
"They couldn't figure out what was going on, she'd be hungry but couldn't stomach eating or felt like she had to go to the bathroom but couldn't go, you know, bruising and such," Benavides said.
The family, which has a history of cancer, was devastated to learn Neveyah had an aggressive form of the disease.
"She had the worst type of leukemia a child could have — acute myeloid leukemia. It's a very rare form, very aggressive, and for her to get that, it was devastating to us," Benavides said.
During Neveyah's treatment, the family created a Facebook page to share her journey.
"It got her story out, it sent the message out and so many people responded," Benavides said.
Jessica Sanchez, Neveyah's mother, thinks of her daughter as cancer-free and pain-free now. She hopes to spread awareness by continuing to share Neveyah's story, ensuring her name serves a purpose.
"Our biggest concern is there's so many kids out there and parents who don't know what to look for if their child might be sick with this or that, and they don't put the dots together until it's too late," Benavides said.
To support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, people can wear gold, the color representing pediatric cancer. There are also specific colors for different types of cancers.
