SEGUIN, Texas — Over the holiday break, Jaila Castro celebrated Christmas with her family. They unwrapped gifts and wore matching pajamas, but behind Jaila's smile, she wasn't feeling too great.
"It just got a lot worse toward the New Year," Jaila said. "I could barely move and I would be out of breath."
Her parents took her to the ER in Seguin where doctors found a mass in her chest. She was airlifted to Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio and hasn't left since.
The 17-year-old spent the first day of 2020 in the operating room, undergoing several procedures. More than two liters of liquid were drained from her left lung. After a biopsy of the mass, doctors diagnosed Jaila with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
She started chemotherapy this week. For the next six months, Jaila will be in and out of the hospital going through rounds of treatment.
"However long it takes for me to get healthy, I'm fine with it," Jaila said. "I'm going to have to do it whether I like it or not, so I'm trying to face it headstrong."
Due to her treatment, Jaila won't be able to return back to school. She plans to keep up with the course load at home. She doesn't want to miss walking the stage at graduation.
"I have to stop taking some of my dual-credit courses that I enjoy taking, but it's what I have to do," Jaila said. "It's okay, I'll get through it."
Jaila's got the right mindset and the right people behind her. Her older sister is home from college. They play cards and other games to pass the time. She also has four loving parents who make sure she's never alone in her hospital room.
"You never want to see any of your kids have to go through this. You want to take it away and you can't," said James de los Santos, Jaila's stepdad. "But she's so strong, she's a fighter. She wants to get healthy, get home and get on with life.
Jaila's Matador Family is behind her, too. Last Friday, Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez visited her in the hospital.
"Jaila is a fighter and has an army of #MatadorFamily behind her," Gutierrez said in a Facebook post.
"He was telling me he'd be there for me and help me through it," Jaila said. "It was really nice."
On Wednesday, Jaila's classmates showed their support. They hosted a blood drive at Seguin High School in her honor and 71 people came out to donate.
"I don't know her personally, but I do want to tell her that everybody here is supporting her," Kaelin Earl, a student at Seguin High School. "We know she can do this, she'll be fine."
Valeria Hernandez is a friend of Jaila's. She said her heart is broken for her friend. She's grateful to the district for hosting the blood drive.
"I've known her since seventh grade," Valeria said. "She's such an amazing person. She's sweet and she's incredibly smart."
Jaila is overwhelmed by all the love. She said it's helping her remain strong during this fight.
"I wish I could give everyone a hug," Jaila said. "I didn't think the school would support me the way they are, so it's cool."
Jaila will be released from the hospital tomorrow. She'll be back in two weeks for another round of chemotherapy.
If you would like to help, Jaila's family has set up a GoFundMe to cover medical bills.