Local boy battles cancer with help from community

At the age of seven Daniel Ixpata was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“I don’t want to lose my son,” was the first thing that came to Jaime Ixpata’s mind, Daniel’s Dad.

It’s news, no parent wishes to ever hear.

“I would have wanted to be me and not him, but we know God has a purpose for everything,” said Jaime.

Last November Daniel began showing alarming symptoms.

Fatigue, fever, and nose bleeds. Local doctors assumed they were flu related symptoms and prescribed Tylenol for the pain.

“It was in January that we made the decision to take him to Rady’s in San Diego, and they told us that he had a type of cancer in the blood,” said Jaime.

“It was a tough battle to know that my son was going through an illness of that magnitude,” said Jaime.

Daniel has now finished his first cycle of aggressive chemotherapy at Rady’s Children’s Hospital and his health is finally looking up.

Although, his mother said this process hasn’t been easy on the family and there’s still a long road that lies ahead.

“It’s cause you don’t love us, you leave us, you are not with us,” said Yvette Ixpata , Daniel’s mom.

” It’s been hard on them as well. From me having to take their brother to the doctor and all that stuff, ” said Yvette.

The past months have been some of the hardest, but Yvette said she’s finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Daniel is doing a lot better and will finally be able to go back to school next week with his three brothers.

It’s a big milestone they have been waiting for.

“He’s a fanatic of wrestling, of all the wrestlers in the Lucha Libre . Like Pentagon, the Mysterious King, the Mystic, he gets so excited, “said Jaime.

“He plays with his brothers, and they get into character and act like they are luchadores ,” said Jaime.

” For him to be the healthy kid that he used to be. That little trouble maker that he used to be and be doing his normal life. So he can grow up and be someone important in life, ” said Yvette.

The Ixpata family says the support they have received from loved ones and ” Bailando Por un Sueño ” (Dancing for a Dream), has been a huge blessing to their family.

The Ixpata family is one of six local families that the Dancing for a Dream organization and dance competition is raising funds for.

Copyright 2018 KYMA