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School Rallies Behind 9-Year-Old Girl With Leukemia

Blackshear Elementary hosted a fundraiser for a young Odessa girl battling leukemia last week. On Sunday, she decided to have a little fun before starting more treatment.
by Kim Powell
NewsWest 9

ODESSA - Blackshear Elementary hosted a fundraiser for a young Odessa girl battling leukemia last week. On Sunday, she decided to have a little fun before starting more treatment.

9-year-old Ariana Lozano has had an exhausting month in the hospital battling cancer, but her biggest worry on Sunday was to not get paint on her dress.

Her mom says it all started with a headache, but after several tests, it was discovered the fourth grader had leukemia and they started treatment right away.

"We were automatically going into surgery the next day and I mean it was just a nonstop thing. We had to hurry up and make it fast," said Felicia Lozano, Ariana's mother.

The most difficult part of treatment for Ariana was that she couldn't sing anymore or do any of her other favorite things.

"I like to go outside and ride my bike or play soccer and I do gymnastics," said Ariana.

Last week, more than 900 of her classmates and the staff at Blackshear Elementary walked around a field holding signs for Ariana and cheering for the girl everyone loves.

"It was definitely a sight to see," said Marcos Lopez, the principal of the school. "You know, the whole Blackshear staff and students, we even had parents participate in that walk just supporting a 4th grade child and her fight against leukemia."

"It made me feel happy. It was like they were my fans for when I sing," said Ariana. "But I liked to see my classmates and them hold up the signs."

For a kid who is always on the go, she needed to squeeze in some much needed girl time. That's why her mom invited over all of her friends for a painting party.

"We have so much going on right now and it'll pass and we'll finish and she'll be back to her normal self," her mother said.

Ariana goes back to Dallas for more treatment on Tuesday, but for now, she's singing.

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