Making a Difference and Telemundo: “DANCING FOR A DREAM” Alison
EL CENTRO, Cali-
Alison Weisskopf is a two year old girl who’s facing a rare form of eye cancer. Alison’s mother, Giselle Weisskopf says she first noticed through her daughter pictures. In each photo of Alison, a white glare appeared in one of Alison’s pupil’s. at first Giselle says they thought it was a cataract, but it was an optometrist who told them it was a tumor. It was on January 29th the young girl was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the retina. “When she said that I remember she kept on talking and saying like a bunch of things and i just have no idea what she said i just stayed quiet and then tears just started coming out” Giselle says. When doctors gave her the news they told her to prepare for a long tough battle… a fight that Giselle says started the same day Alison was diagnosed. “That’s when everything started, that’s the first time I seen her with an I.V. seen her sleep through anesthesia, that’s the first day where i started seeing everything that I see everyday now..her getting poked, that’s where it all started January 29th”Giselle says. They have good days and bad days, and Alison’s Retinoblastoma is hereditary since it is found in both of her eyes. There are no specialists that treat this type of cancer in San Diego, which is why Giselle says they have to travel to Los Angeles once a month to monitor her daughters tumor. Alison’s well-being changes without notice, which is why Giselle says she avoids taking her out to public places for fear of catching a virus that may cause them to cancel her monthly visit to the hospital. According to medical experts, the eyes don’t stop growing until the age of 5, so it is until then they’ll will know if Alison is free of cancer. “Even after she is five years old she be free in her eye but since it’s genetic she can have secondary cancer so they say she has to take care of herself more than other kids” Giselle says. Although the battle has been long and tough Giselle says that for the love of her daughter…anything is possible…
