Fort Lee Girl, 12, Suffers Relapse Of Leukemia

FORT LEE, N.J. — Briana Lopez is a fighter. She fought against cancer for months with the support of her family, friends, neighbors and the Police Department and won. Now, it's round two.

Lopez was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia last year. She received a bone marrow transplant and was declared cancer-free in August. She returned to school and was getting back into a normal routine.

But recently she suffered a relapse that occurs in just 1 percent of patients with her form of leukemia. Although there are no tumors in Lopez, she must have another bone marrow transplant and continues to receive chemotherapy once a month.

"Her spirits are excellent," said Yanine Lopez, Briana's mother. "She was devastated at first, but she's said to me, 'I'm going to beat this.'"

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Members of the community have held fundraisers for Lopez since she was diagnosed last year. The Police Department has sponsored a Zumba marathon and donated thousands of dollars to help Lopez and her family, who have struggled financially since the diagnosis.

"She's the strongest person I know," said Detective Nick Mircovich, who headed up the Zumba marathon and visited Lopez in the hospital.

The Lopez family has partnered with the Be The Match Registry for two bone marrow donation drives Feb. 12.

Fort Lee residents 18 to 44 years old may attend and register to see if they are a match for Lopez.

The drives will be at the Fort Lee Recreation Center from noon to 4 p.m. and Park Theater PAC, 560 32nd St. in Union City from 2 to 6 p.m.

Be The Match relies on financial contributions to help over the $100 cost associated with adding each new member to the registry, a press release about the donor drives said. Attendees are asked to donate what they can. Young people of diverse racial and ethnic heritage are in high demand, the release stated.

For more information about Be The Match, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 800-627-7692.

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Briana Lopez in the hospital while being treated for cancer. — Courtesy of the Lopez family