COTA for Team Kayleen

Our Story

Kayleen’s Story: A Fight for Her Life, Fueled by Faith and Love

In October 2024, just weeks before her Sweet 16, our beautiful daughter Kayleen was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer. It all started with what seemed like harmless abdominal pain. The discomfort came and went, and we thought it might be something simple like constipation. But as the days passed, I noticed slight bloating in her upper abdomen, and something in my heart told me to act quickly.

On October 8th, I took her to urgent care after being unable to get a timely specialist appointment. An X-ray was performed, and as we left to shop for my dress for her Sweet 16, I received a call from the doctor. They had reviewed the images and found something unusual. We immediately returned for a CT scan. Shortly after, the doctor pulled me aside and confirmed the presence of a large mass on her liver, 19 centimeters. My heart sank. I stepped into the bathroom, broke down in tears, and called my husband.

That moment changed our lives forever.

From that day forward, we promised Kayleen we would be her strength, advocates, and her safe haven. We were admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center, where a biopsy was done. A week later, we decided to transfer to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), hoping for the best care possible. On October 18th, we received the devastating news: Kayleen had undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver; a rare and aggressive cancer with only about 7 cases per year.

We were heartbroken. How could this happen to my baby, to such a kindhearted, pure and loving girl? But Kayleen faced the diagnosis with strength and optimism, and we knew we had to do the same. We leaned into faith, prayer, and each other.

Chemotherapy began shortly after, but complications quickly came up. After her first treatment, Kayleen developed a rare reaction, neurotoxicity that affected her ability to speak, walk, and stay conscious. It was terrifying. She underwent EEGs and brain imaging to rule out seizures. Doctors explained it was a known but rare side effect that usually resolves in a few days. Still, the fear was overwhelming. That night, my husband and I were beside ourselves. We took turns being strong and falling apart.

What was expected to be outpatient treatment turned into a prolonged hospital stay that lasted months and involved infections, side effects, and constant procedures. Her central line became infected, and she developed severe swelling in her legs and abdomen. As the tumor grew, it compressed her internal organs, making it nearly impossible to eat or stay comfortable. Pain increased every day and eventually Kayleen required a continuous “morphine’ pump to control her pain. Her skin turned yellow from rising bilirubin levels, and she became too weak to walk alone. Around this time, Kayleen began struggling with extreme anxiety. Simple procedures like an x-ray became overwhelming for her. As days passed, we would notice Kayleen would be highly medicated and some days she wasn’t too present, she was tired, and uncomfortable. She was eventually transferred to the ICU, due to the progression of her illness.

A PET scan in early December revealed new areas of concern and metabolic activity, especially in her bones and legs. While it did not confirm cancer, it raised serious red flags. Our options were becoming limited, and we were even told to prepare for “time.” Yet, we refused to give up, it wasn’t an option. We clung to faith, believing that God could make the impossible possible.

Radiation was suggested, a treatment not typically used for this type of cancer, but it was our only remaining option. As we faced mounting medical complexities, my sisters and I began contacting hospitals across the U.S. and Mexico in search of a miracle.

That miracle came in the form of Dr. Vasudevan at Texas Children’s Hospital. He had successfully treated a similar case before and, after reviewing Kayleen’s records and recent biopsies (which thankfully came back normal), he agreed to take her on. On December 13th, Kayleen was medically flown to Texas Children’s to begin a new chapter in her care.

A new MRI showed promising results, more necrotic (dead) tumor areas and the original plan for TARE (targeted radiation) was no longer necessary. After a thorough evaluation, it was determined that the safest and most effective path forward was a liver transplant. With God’s grace, Kayleen was quickly approved and placed on the transplant list. Then, in late January, we received the call we had been praying for; a donor liver was available. It was a moment filled with overwhelming emotion: relief, gratitude, anxiety, and fear all at once. We knew it was nothing short of a miracle.

Kayleen underwent transplant surgery and received her gift of life. We will forever carry deep gratitude in our hearts for the selfless donor and their family, whose gift of life gave our daughter a second chance. Their courage and generosity are a part of Kayleen’s story now and always.

The road since has been anything but easy. She experienced seizures caused by anti-rejection medications, underwent additional chemotherapy, battled persistent headaches, and developed a serious port infection that led to sepsis. Her condition quickly became critical, and she was rushed back to the ICU as her blood pressure dropped to dangerously low levels. These were some of the most terrifying and difficult moments we’ve faced as parents. Yet, through it all, Kayleen fought with everything she had.

Her hospital stay lasted six long months. On April 1st, 2025, we were discharged from the hospital in Houston, Texas and moved into a temporary housing unit for families like ours; close to the hospital. It was the moment we had waited of for months, a breath of hope, healing, and new beginnings. This journey has tested us in every way, but today, we are overwhelmed with gratitude to share that Kayleen is currently in remission and recovering day by day. We thank God for her strength and healing, as we continue to walk forward in faith, one step at a time.

Kayleen has faced more in the past few months than most will in a lifetime. Through it all, she has shown unimaginable strength, faith, and resilience. She is not just fighting cancer, she is inspiring everyone around her with her courage. We are currently in Texas for her ongoing recovery, far from home, family, and stability. My husband and I have been beside Kayleen from day one and have not left her side, which has made it difficult to keep up with medical and housing expenses. With ongoing lifelong medical care, medication expenses and traveling to the transplant center, the financial burden is overwhelming. With your support, we can continue giving Kayleen the care she needs and deserves. Every donation, prayer, and kind word helps us carry this load and keep moving forward.

Thank you for walking beside us in this journey of love, healing, and hope.