Alana and Her Battle with Ewing sarcoma

Meet Alana, a brave 5-year-old from Massachusetts who recently completed chemotherapy for grade 4 brain cancer and just started kindergarten this fall.

She loves building LEGO sets with her two caring brothers, who stood by her side every step of the way.

When her mom reached out to us for LEGO sets, we were so happy to help bring a little joy into Alana’s life through these tiny bricks that spark big smiles.

We wish Alana a wonderful school year ahead, filled with happiness, good health, and continued strength!

Here is her story, shared by Alana's mom.

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Alana is a very bubbly little girl. She loves horse riding, music, swimming, boat rides, dancing, and soccer. We had just moved to Massachusetts, and Alana and her two brothers were beginning to adjust—to the weather, a new country, and making new friends.

About three months after our move, Alana began having episodes of a stiff neck that came and went over six weeks. We made multiple trips to the ER and urgent care, but all labs came back normal—until one ER visit when she developed a low-grade fever. As parents, our instincts often tell us when something isn’t right—and unfortunately, this time, we were correct.

After waiting for several hours and seeing many doctors, we were told there was a 4 to 5 cm mass in Alana’s brain. She was diagnosed with medulloblastoma grade 4 just four months after we moved. It was devastating and gut-wrenching news. We prayed. We cried. But we also knew we had to stay present and strong—for her.

Everything moved quickly after the diagnosis. She had an MRI, then brain surgery. Thankfully, Alana bounced back incredibly fast and even made it home just in time for Halloween trick-or-treating. God has been so faithful and merciful—Alana continues to amaze us with her strength and cheerful spirit.

She underwent proton radiation for six weeks after her surgery and began chemotherapy in February 2025 and by God’s grace she has completed her 6 cycle last July 2025. It was a long road, and it has been hard—not just for Alana, but for her two brothers as well. There are days when we’re all exhausted. We missed her brother’s school mini concert for the first time ever, and that broke our hearts. We’ve always shown up for those moments. But with the many unexpected appointments, ER visits, and changes to our daily lives, everything feels different now.

Alana has started physical therapy to help with her gait as it has been affected a bit as well. She and her brothers enjoys Lego a lot and helps her not to just be creative but builds confidence as well. Just the look in her face when she builds something with it is very rewarding. We are focusing on healing right now and this would be a great activity for us as a family.