SAN ANTONIO — Six-year-old Jenysis Casillas was diagnosed with diffuse instrinsic pontine glioma- a tumor in her brain stem - earlier this year. Her family says there was no cure for her diagnosis, and after chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, doctors told them it was time to take her home and make each moment memorable. She had something in mind for those moments.
"For the happiest Christmas ever," Casillas said. KENS 5 shared her story earlier this week, and volunteers pitched in with donations to make that wish come true. Thursday afternoon, they decorated the Casillas house and several neighbors'- and prepared for a Thursday evening celebration, with Christmas carols and a visit from Santa.
"We are very familiar with this diagnosis because we lost our daughter to DIPG in 2015 when she was 6 years old so we know the devastating- we know firsthand what cancer brings to families," said Isabel Torres, a volunteer who runs the Gabriella's Smile Foundation. "We just want to be here for the family and offer them that support and walk with them through this journey."
Torres and other volunteers decked the halls as Jenysis rested, transforming her front yard into a winter wonderland.
"We believe in miracles and we believe this in itself is a miracle- to have so many people come support this family and be there for them in their time of need," Torres said.
You can learn more about Jenysis' story -- and how to help her family through this difficult time - by clicking here.