Aiyana's story - Hockey Fights Cancer

Sixteen-year-old Aiyana is bright, intelligent and kind-hearted. In December 2022, a fall and loss of consciousness led Aiyana’s parents to take her to the hospital. Tests revealed unusually low hemoglobin and platelets in her blood, requiring her to get an immediate blood transfusion. Not long after, she was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, a form of blood cancer.

January saw the start of intense chemotherapy that required her to stay in the hospital. It came with many challenges, including the development of pancreatitis which required surgery. Too sick to do anything but sleep, Aiyana gained strength through the presence of family supporting her from near and afar.

Over the next 10 months Aiyana continued with treatment and faced many challenges, includingthe loss of mobility in her legs and hands due to nerve damage from chemotherapy. Her mother never left her side and supported her through every aspect of her day-to-day life. Being apart from her younger siblings and her dad was difficult for both of them.

This fall, after months of treatment and time spent away from family, Aiyana was finally able to return home. Since then, she is starting to feel better and stronger and is optimistic about her recovery. While she continues with daily chemotherapy medication and monthly visits to CancerCare Manitoba, she is grateful to be back with her family, friends and supportive community.

Despite the challenges of the last two years, Aiyana has maintained a positive attitude and approach to life. She is passionate about sharing her experience to create awareness about the realities of what it’s like to have cancer and the importance of donations to ensure ongoingresearch and leading-edge care. She regularly attends youth conferences and speaks to audiences about her personal experience.

The treatment Aiyana and other young people with leukemia receive at CancerCare Manitoba is a result of decades of donor-funded research and clinical trials. Thanks to ongoing donor support, survival rates for leukemia continue to improve. Manitoba has one of the highest participation rates of pediatric trials in Canada largely due to donations, including those from the Winnipeg Jets’ Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) campaign, which directly benefit pediatric patients and their families in Manitoba.

Join the Winnipeg Jets as they fight for youth like Aiyana this month through their annual HFC campaign. To support the campaign, fans can buy raffle tickets online at TNYFRaffle.com, or join us at the Dec. 3 HFC game for in-game fundraising. The Dec. 3 Winnipeg Jets 50/50 will start at $25,000 with proceeds going toward the cause. Learn more about the Jets’ HFC campaign at winnipegjets.com/hfc and join us at the Dec. 3 HFC game to support CancerCare Manitoba Foundation - winnipegjets.com/tickets.