Zayna is very sweet and kind. She is creative and loving. She loves her family and cousins. Zayna enjoys basketball and art and also loves baking. She enjoys playing board games with her family and spending time with her 2-year-old brother.
Zayna was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia several days before her 13th birthday. We thought she had an ear infection and she was on antibiotics – four days later she woke up with a swollen neck and face. We thought she needed a stronger antibiotic so we took her to the ER and that is when we found out she actually had Leukemia and had a mass growing on her chest.
During treatment, the entire left side of her body was paralyzed. She stayed in a rehabilitation hospital for 3 months, away from her siblings. She relearned how to walk and is now in the maintenance phase of her treatment protocol and back to her old self.
Cancer has changed us. We appreciate every day and just being able to be together – Zayna’s siblings were not allowed in the hospital when she was admitted and they sometimes went weeks without seeing each other, which was very hard for all of us.
Zayna loves doing things for others. Every time she would make a craft or art in the hospital she would make something for her siblings or cousins. Family is very important to her and we are grateful that we can all be together again.
Hope Session by Mint Photography | Instagram