Today is a big day. It’s a big, scary day for a family I count as my own and love dearly.

I wrote about a month ago about Danielle (Dani) Alfaro, and her recent diagnosis of leukemia. To bring you all up to speed, Dani was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The standard course of treatment is 6 months of chemotherapy, and she began her chemo almost immediately. Having finished her first round, the Doctors are performing another bone marrow biopsy and spinal tap today to determine if she has gone into remission.

If she’s in remission, she continues on her course of chemo. If she’s not, my understanding is that they start to look for bone marrow donors.

Needless to say, everyone is on their knees praying for a remission outcome. The results won’t come in until Friday, which is also the day Dani starts her second round of chemotherapy.

Dani is 17 years old. She was supposed to start her senior year of high school now, but has to be home schooled because of her treatment. Her immune system won’t be able to tolerate the normal germs we all encounter on a daily basis. Dani’s mom, Shonda, became my friend about 14 years ago. She helped coach me through the birth of my daughter, and delivered my son’s head. That’s our favorite memory right there. 🙂

I started a GiveForward.com fundraiser for them, because the financial limitations of fighting cancer are something I am all too familiar with.

Today, please stop and send some prayers, good thoughts, healing energy to Dani. She’s facing a monster that most of us dread, and she’s doing it with grace and a healthy teenage attitude!

Her greatest complaint was that she would have to lose her hair, so she and her mom have gone bald together. Dani now has her wigs – both regular and fun – while Shonda remains without hair.

To make a donation for Dani, please visit https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/l955/let-s-help-dani-fight-leukemia-

To follow Dani in her battle, please “like” her Facebook page, Pray for Dani, at https://www.facebook.com/prayersfordani

I’m sharing some photos here so you all can see this beautiful girl who is fighting every day, and having to grow up far too quickly.