Back in December 2015, Ana-Alecia Ayala was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma, a severe form of cancer that forms in a person’s uterus.
It is an incredibly rare form of cancer that requires specific treatment, and in Ayala’s case, when she was diagnosed, doctors discovered that her tumor was already spreading to her spleen.
About ten months and many rounds of chemotherapy later, scans finally showed that the tumor was beginning to shrink.
During one of these hospital visits, Ayala and her “chemo buddy” decided to celebrate, “inspire and motivate people in my position to not see cancer as such a depressing, sad, death sentence,” she explained.
“We also wanted to encourage people/loved ones/caregivers to get out of their comfort zones (as my chemo buddy Danielle did for me) and laugh, sing, dance through the pain! Laughter has really been the best medicine for me!” she added.
Now, in January 2017, the video has racked up over 9 million views.
Sadly, just a few days ago, Fox reported that Ayala had passed away on January 18. She leaves behind a three-year-old daughter – and hundreds of thousands of people around the world who were able to smile from watching her video.
Our hearts go out to Ayala’s family and loved ones during this time. If you would like to support the family, please donate here.
