Meet All-Star Za'nari

“At first you think you are alone, but you are not. You think you can do it yourself, but there are others there to help and it means a lot.” – All-Star Za’nari’s mom Cece

Za’nari was a lively toddler. She was just about to turn three when her world was turned upside down.

She had a happy family life. Both her parents worked. In their free time they went to the park, went fishing, and went on picnics. Za’nari’s mom, Cece, had just learned she was pregnant with a baby boy. Life was good.

It wasn’t until they returned from vacation and Cece returned to work at the daycare center that Za’nari attended that they noticed something did not seem right. Cece noticed lumps on her daughter’s neck. Za’nari also wasn’t sleeping well, and she wasn’t eating her favorite foods, like pizza and burgers. Instead, she only wanted soft foods, like soup.

Cece took Za’nari to urgent care, but lab tests were inconclusive. They went to her primary care doctor four days later and were sent to Children’s Hospital for more tests.

Three hours later, the call came that all families dread. Za’nari may have cancer. The family was told to return to the  hospital immediately and to pack a bag. That was in November 2021.

Cece said she wasn’t too emotional at first as she was focused on getting answers. Za’nari’s dad, Hakeem, however, was upset and crying, she said.

“I was looking for more information at that point,” Cece said.

Cece would then realize what a whirlwind it was from there. She was admitted to the hospital where her family learned she had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Za’nari would lose her hair, have a port inserted for the administration of medicine, and would need to be at the hospital for many weeks.

Cece said her thoughts quickly turned to the challenges of making all the appointments — in addition to her prenatal visits — while still working.

“Hakeem [Za’nari’s dad] suggested that I stop working and he would work extra,” Cece said. “I became very emotional about giving up work. Thankfully, my boss was understanding. I was worried about money, but we had no choice. Our health was more important.”

Cece ended up taking two years off from work. Za’nari’s little brother, Zaire, was born, and Cece continued her education with online courses, which she said keeps her focused.

“I needed something to keep me going,” she said. “I also did classes on Zoom on how to raise a son, I played music, and made it a priority to eat healthy and get enough sleep.”

Despite her best efforts, Cece said life was challenging, managing being at the hospital every day, caring for a newborn, taking exams online, and Za’nari’s dad working extra hours to make ends meet.

“I would feel exhausted, but I had to wait it out,” Cece said.

She said those were the most difficult times, and at times life felt “overwhelming.” However the family found strength knowing that Za’nari was getting the help she needed. They were also thankful for the support they received during those darkest of times.

“We were most grateful for organizations like Pinky Swear that were there to support us, and for the doctors, and everyday things like having a vehicle and a roof over our heads and ensuring there was food for me and the children,” Cece said.

There were some little things that Cece remembers provided some light during this time.

Cece said she remembers when Za’nari would be allowed to go home for a few days. She loved being pulled in her wagon by her dad, with all her balloons and bags surrounding her. Cece remembers the big smile on her daughter’s face.

Za'Nari's parents loved to pack toys for her doctor's appointments and her favorite snacks which cheered her up and made her more relaxed.

One day, a box came to their door with Za’nari’s name on it. Inside were colored pencils, Play-Doh, a card, and a gift card for food and gas. It was from the Pinky Swear Foundation.

The box gave Cece and her family the feeling that they weren’t alone in their journey.

“My first thought was, we have been doing this all on our own and now we have extra help,” she said. “Za’nari learned things that she did not know about before, like her colors, because the Play-Doh came with a sheet, and she would say what color it was.”

Cece said the gift card for gas helped alleviate the cost of driving back and forth to the hospital, which was a 20-30 minute drive each way. Then came a rent payment.

“Hakeem was amazed,” Cece said. “For one month he didn’t have to put in extra hours. He was at home and at the hospital a little bit extra. It made us talk about his work schedule. He was trying to earn extra money, but I wanted him there. I was so used to working and our family outings together, but now everything had changed. It felt like I was doing everything. Za’nari’s diagnosis was so hard on both of us, and we hadn’t talked about that.”

Cece said she also loved learning about Mitch, the 9-year-old boy who made his father pinky swear promise to help other kids with cancer even after he was gone. Mitch later died of bone cancer, but his legacy lives on through families like Za’nari’s who receive help. 

“It is amazing to see someone doing something for others when they are going through the
same thing,” she said.

Read Za'nari's full story to see how she's doing today.