By Mckinnley Bartels
Gabby Loya is a 15-year-old girl who has defeated all odds and shown her true strength.
She was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (a blood disease that begins in the bone marrow), or APML, about a year ago and has been undergoing chemo ever since. When she was first diagnosed she was heartbroken because she thought she couldn’t play softball any longer. But that was far from the truth. Not only is Loya playing softball, she is working out, and still going to school full time.
Along the way, Loya became a part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Coincidentally, Ralston Valley High School, in Arvada, received her as their Make-A-Wish child this year. Once they learned that Loya’s wish is to go to Atlantis in the Bahamas, they wanted to help make her wish come true. So Ralston Valley put together an entire spirit week dedicated to Loya and her wish. They did several things to raise money, like a color fusion dance, bliss, a volleyball game, dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, and a hockey game where they received money from the crowd. They also did several Miracle Minutes where they collected as much money as possible in one minute from the student body. Along with the Miracle Minute, there was also a Penny Stall in which the students brought change in and classes were stalled until the teacher counted all the change. The proceeds all went towards Loya’s wish of going to Atlantis in the Bahamas.
An assembly was also held in Loya’s honor. She attended the assembly Jan. 29th, and the students got to meet her and hear her story. Games were played, and Loya got to participate and interact with the Ralston Valley student body. When all was said and done, at the end of the week, Ralston Valley raised a little over $16,000 total. With those donations, hopefully, Loya will be basking in the sun in the Bahamas soon.
