Bone Marrow Drive Held For 12-Year-Old Fort Lee Girl Battling Leukemia
FORT LEE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey girl battling cancer found out Sunday just how many supporters she has as residents in her hometown rallied to find her a life-saving bone marrow match.
Briana Lopez, a 12-year-old seventh grader from Fort Lee, cheered on close to 100 people at a bone marrow drive to increase her chances of finding a match to knock out her aggressive form of leukemia, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
Lopez was in the hospital for eight months. She was given bone marrow from her mother, Yanine, but it wasn't an exact match, and she suffered a relapse.
A stranger contributing to the national registry could save her life. So it's a waiting game.
"It's easier when you have people with you," she said. "In a way, like I stay strong for them and they stay strong for me."
Lopez is counting on a future where she works in hospitals with young patients, giving them advice she says she knows will help them.
"Before I got sick, I didn't know what I wanted to be career-wise, and now I want to be a child life specialist," she said. "Helping them actually be a child while being in the hospital."
Her fighting spirit impressed Giants Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck, who met her at a 5k charity run last year and was there Sunday to see if he's a match.
"I have always been of the mind you utilize your platform to help others," he said.
Lopez's mom said her child is wise and gets straight As in school.
"I'm very proud of her," she said.
"Just having faith in God and praying," Lopez said of her success.
And the power of positivity.