Praying for Layla Grace


I found out about Layla Grace through the Baby Wears Prada newsletter and wanted to share with you lets be praying for and supporting this little girl and her parents:

My 17 month old daughter, Layla, has always been a healthy child, 80th percentile for weight, a great eater and a great sleeper. She is sweet as pie and a little cuddle monkey (she wont let you put her down!). She has a very advanced vocab for her age and is super aware of her surroundings.

Layla had a great 15 month checkup. At around 16 months her sleep habits and appetite started to change and she started to become more irritable. At the time we thought we were dealing with a picky eater. Beginning of May Layla woke up one morning with a swollen eye. We took her to the doctor and she was treated for an ear infection and the doctor said the swelling was just a result of the ear infection. At the same time we noted that her belly was hard and somewhat distended. She had not had a bowel movement for a few days and we were concerned that she was becoming constipated. The next day we took her to the pediatrician who put her on Miralax over the weekend and told us to call back Monday. By Monday morning she was not eating at all, still no dirty diaper, her activity level had decreased and was rubbing her belly and lower back and saying owie.

Our pediatrician referred us to a GI specialist to see why she was so constipated and wasnt eating. On Thursday May 7th as we sat in GI specialists office expecting to be told that Layla would need some kind of treatment for constipation, we instead hear every parents worst nightmare. Cancer Layla was diagnosed with High Risk, Stage IV Neuroblasoma. There is a massive tumor that extends from above her left kidney, around her side, over her belly and wraps around her aorta. There is also a small tumor behind her right eye, and one behind each ear. In addition, the cancer is in her bone marrow and bones. She has been given a 30% survival rate.

Our sweet Layla went from normal, happy and healthy to lethargic, in pain, and skin and bones in a matter of a week and a half. She is currently receiving chemo and her future consists of many more months of chemo, several surgeries, a bone marrow transplant, Immunotherapy, and a lifetime of side effects caused by this treatment. There is no cure for Neuroblastoma so we will live daily wondering when this monster will show up again. Please keep Layla in your thoughts and prayers as she battles this monster. You can read updates on her care page, follow updates on Twitter (www.twitter.com/laylagrace), or her Facebook group Praying For Layla Grace. In addition to prayers, I wish to raise awareness about this deadly form of cancer that only effects children. Please forward Laylas story to your friends and family. I pray that I see the day when this cancer has a cure!!


Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! 🙂

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