Fundraiser Supports a Young Warrior

GRAND TERRACE>> Battling cancer can take its toll not only on the one battling it, but also on their families, the people that love them the most. Adrina Alvarez, Colton resident, was diagnosed June 2, 2016 with stage 4 Wilms Tumor. It is a mass of cancer cells that come from the kidney. She had a major surgery June 6 to remove her kidney along with the tumor which weighed a little more than a pound. Afterwards, she was put on a 25-week treatment with one round of radiation. After the 25 weeks her scans were not clear so the doctors extended the treatment to 33 weeks with stronger chemo and another round of radiation. The treatment also included 4 one-week hospital stays. During Adrina’s second hospital stay, she was having excruciating pain, and a CT scan showed that the scar tissue from her first surgery wrapped around her intestines and suffocated it. She had emergency surgery to cut the tissue, and after she recovered she went back to the treatments. Adrina completed her treatments Feb, 7 but her scans still did not come back clear. On Monday, March 13, Adrina had another surgery to remove the 3 nodules left on her lung, which were sent for a biopsy. The family said the doctors have high hopes that it is dead scar tissue; if it is, then Adrina will be done with all treatment. From the beginning, Raylene Alvarez, Adrina's mother, had to take unpaid time off work, and Mario Alvarez, Adrina's father, was unfortunately laid off in August. "Having a sick child has turned our lives upside down", stated Adrina’s parents. “Financially, we do our best to make it but it’s getting harder with bills, car payments and rent; it’s becoming harder and harder. Not to mention we also have our older daughter Alana who is 9. This affects her as well as everyone else,” said Raylene. In order to help the Alvarez family out, Sandra and Debbie Kairis Wright organized an event that partnered with Genesis Hair Salon and Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center to raise funds for the family to help with their unexpected expenses. On Monday, March 20, Genesis Hair Salon will be giving free haircuts in exchange for donations to the Alvarez family. They will also be selling raffle tickets for $5 per ticket, where the winner will receive a basket worth at $100. “We want to be involved in the community. Anyone who needs help, we will try to help you,” Alida Venegas, owner of Genesis Hair Salon. Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center will also be assisting in the fundraiser by accepting and collecting donations throughout the week until the end of the fundraiser. “Having Adrina go through all of this is hard enough," Raylene said. "Any help is always appreciated to ease up a little stress.”