An 8-year-old Southern California girl battling cancer got to fulfill her dream of joining the Los Angeles Rams cheerleading team.
Delilah Loya has spent half of her short life battling cancer. The young girl was diagnosed with stage four Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that forms from immature nerve cells.
Her bravery and ferocious spirit were rewarded with an early Christmas gift — fulfilling her wish to become one of the youngest cheerleaders for the L.A. Rams.
A video recorded by Delilah’s mother, Samantha Loya, shows her asking, “If you could wish for one thing for Christmas, what would it be?”
“To be cancer free,” says Delilah while playing with toys in her hospital bed.
Delilah has undergone 25 rounds of chemotherapy in the last two years at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles after relapsing. Her parents constantly remain at her bedside.
“It sucks to have to watch your child go through something that you can’t change and there’s nothing you can do about, but yet you’re still proud that they’re doing it,” Samantha tells KTLA’s Carlos Saucedo. “They have that fight in them to keep going and keep taking this on.”
Earlier this month, Delilah got a break from her hospital bubble to live out a dream.
The big surprise was unveiled as Delilah was brought to SoFi Stadium. She took off her blindfolds and was greeted by the entire L.A. Rams cheer team.
Social media influencer Isaiah Garza partnered with the L.A. Rams to allow Delilah to join the cheer team for a weekend.
She received a custom-made cheerleading outfit and got the chance to run out onto the football field during a game.
“This is the best day of my life, “ said Delilah. “I’m going to beat cancer because I’m really strong. This is a dream come true.”
“It was so emotional to watch, words can’t even describe how we felt,” said Samantha. “Me and my husband, we both broke down, to just see Delilah having fun is a blessing.”
“I got to show my pom poms and they picked me up, it was so cool and so exciting,” recalls Delilah.
The young girl retains her fighting spirit as she continues fighting for her life.
Delilah’s family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help with her hospital bills.