Warrior Princess
Leianna is an almost two-year-old baby who loves the world, daydreaming, and playing with her parents. Her family calls her “warrior princess” because she is a little girl with incredible strength, joy, and happiness who knows no limits. Leianna spent many of her days in her native state Hawaii, enjoying the wonderful sun and the day-by-day occurrences of her siblings.
One day, her parents noticed that Leianna’s tummy was swollen. Thinking it was a simple affliction, they set up a telemedicine appointment. During the interview, Leianna’s doctor told them that her tummy needed to be analyzed and advised them to visit the Kapiolani ER that same day.
After some tests that included ultrasounds, MRI biopsies, and blood tests, one of their biggest fears came to pass.
The specialists confirmed that Leianna was suffering from an aggressive stage IV Neuroblastoma, a rare type of childhood cancer. Her parents, Kalei and Tony, were devastated, and the family started to fight along with their baby in perhaps the most important battle of her life.
Sharing Love
From that moment on, part of Leianna’s treatment now includes exhausting chemotherapies (around seven cycles of 5 days each), bone marrow harvesting, transplantation, and even radiation sessions. This taxing process will take about three and ½ years.
Despite everything, Leianna has always maintained the happiness and innocence that radiates from the purest forms of love. She continues this battle with the best attitude, thanks to her family and the support of all who witness her daily challenges.
Books Bring Smiles
Friends of Rick Daniels spotted her case and sent her a package with the book ‘Noah and Saby’s Magical Storybook Adventure’, so she could give away dozens of smiles to her family and friends and to show her that despite all the difficult treatment sessions, diet, and time she must spend in bed there is still a way to find joy thanks to our imagination.
Recently, Prince – a super cute 8-weeks-old English bulldog – arrived at Leianna’s life. Leianna’s happiness went to the moon. Prince has been recently signed up for puppy training and later he will complete an advanced course with the Hawaii Dog Training Services.
Childhood, Imagination, and Books
A child’s development needs not only time and economic support but also love. Lots of love. What happens during the first years of someone’s life will determine their behavior and how the new adult will face life. A great way to do this is by teaching lessons about how the toughest times in life can be navigated through imagination and love.
A book, for example, can bring that kind of teaching in an effective, playful, and entertaining way. Fueled by their imagination, children interact with everything they come in contact with, and this is only another reason why it is important to bring them closer to educative and functional material. Books are a great resource of knowledge at all ages and can include a myriad of different content and therefore lessons to apply under the harshest conditions.
Remember to always have a book close to you. Something that can take you somewhere else, where you can navigate forever over a sea of words and pictures. Just as Warrior Princess Leianna who together with her family sails every day towards the next sunset.
