Cain Turns Grief to Hope
- MTV star Ashley Cain, 30, and partner Safiyya Vorajee lost their 8-month old daughter to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) April 24, and they’re turning their grief into hope for others.
- The pair are using the money raised for their late daughter’s leukemia treatment to provide help and support for others fighting cancer; they are starting a cancer charity in daughter Azaylia’s name.
- Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that results from the body producing a large amount of abnormal white blood cells.
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“After days of emotional yet careful consideration we have decided that, firstly, we would like to use some to give Azaylia a magical and deserving send off – something that we believe you would all want to be a part of,” they wrote. “Secondly, we will use the remaining money to help other children through a new charity we are setting up in Azaylia's name. She has guided us throughout this process and it only feels right that we continue to use the platform we built together to help those in similar situations.”
The couple also thanked supporters and noted the impact Azalyia had on the cancer community.
“During her short life on earth side she brought the world together, she claimed a community – her very own pride – who made amazing things happen,” they said. “The world lit up. The world talked about childhood cancer. The world showed its heart.”
Azaylia’s Leukemia Journey & Understanding Leukemia
Azaylia passed after her battle with leukemia when she was just 8 months old. She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) soon after she was born, and began receiving treatment for her disease. She had a traditional stem cell treatment in January, and on April 12, Cain shared that Azaylia only had days to live after doctors found tumors in her brain. They had planned to try CAR T-cell therapy as a final effort, but due to the aggressiveness of the cancer, doctors told them it wouldn't be possible.
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that develops when the body produces a large amount of abnormal white blood cells, which prevent the bone marrow from producing any other type of cell, like red blood cells and platelets. Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at the University of California San Francisco, explains in an earlier interview how to best understand this disease.
"One cell got really selfish and decided that it needed to take up all the resources of everybody else, and in doing so, took up space and energy from the rest of the body,” Dr. Shah says. “In general having a blood cancer means that your bone marrow is not functioning correctly. And when your bone marrow doesn't function correctly it means that you can have something happen to you like anemia. Or you can have low platelets, which makes it possible for you to bleed easily. Or your immune system is not functioning correctly."
What is a Blood Cancer How is it Different?
Coping with the Loss of a Child to Cancer
Losing a child to cancer, as Cain is experiencing, can feel overwhelming. Cain has shared his battle with grief on social media, writing, “But after another painful day, asking and praying for Azaylia to give me a sign that she's ok… This happened tonight!” He continues, saying, “I cry so much at the moment.”
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Coping with cancer-related loss and grief can be helped with therapy. Camila Legaspi lost her mother to breast cancer when she was in high school. And she tells SurvivorNet that therapy saved her life. "Embrace the situation as best as you can, because the reality is … that it sucks," Legaspi says.
Legaspi suggests that people coping with grief reach out for help, and that it’s okay to not be okay for a while. "I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on. Going to a therapist helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me … that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings," she says.
"Therapy Saved My Life": After Losing A Loved One, Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help
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