THE STRENGTH TO STILL BE A KID

Some moments in life divide everything into two chapters: before and after. For the Zamora family, December 16 will forever be the day that everything changed.

Briella Zamora is a girl who loves to do crafts and puzzles, have movie nights with her family, swimming with her madrina Kate, and hang out with her friends. “I love the color pink, hot cocoa and bows too,” said Briella with a smile on her face. She enjoys all the little things that make life special.

But when life became uncertain, Briella showed a strength that inspired everyone around her.

PACK YOUR BAGS

In early October, she started experiencing hip pain. At first, doctors considered several possibilities, including injury, mild scoliosis, constipation, or growing pains. But the pain continued.

Eventually, it moved from her hip to her spine. When Briella developed a fever, her mom, Gabby, trusted her instincts and pushed for more testing.

That decision became a turning point.

“On December 16, Briella’s pediatrician called me and said, ‘Find a place away from Briella to talk’, I knew immediately it wasn’t good news, and I had to get Ernie [Briella’s Dad] on the phone,” said Gabby. The pediatrician began to tell Briella’s parents that her inflammation markers were extremely high, and leukemia was a possibility.

“She told us to pack our bags, and you don’t know when you’re coming back,” Gabby said with tears.

At the children’s hospital in Spokane, doctors discovered a hairline fracture in Briella’s spine without any injury that could have caused it. Further testing revealed the answer no parent expects to hear.

Briella had B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL).

Although the diagnosis was frightening, her doctors also gave the family hope. B-ALL is one of the most researched and treatable childhood cancers, and they had a plan for her care.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

The early days after diagnosis felt overwhelming.

Both Gabby and Ernie describe that time as “cloudy” and surreal.

“It almost didn’t feel real,” Ernie shares.

They spent more than four months in Spokane while Briella received intensive treatment. Through chemotherapy, hospital visits, and countless unknowns, they learned to take each day one step at a time.

One of the biggest lessons the Zamora family has learned is that they were never alone.

Friends, churches, extended family, medical teams, and communities throughout Othello and Moses Lake surrounded them with prayers, meals, encouragement, and support.

“People don’t wait until you have cancer to care about you,” Ernie says. “They’re already there ready to catch you.”

That support has changed the way their family sees their community.

STILL A KID

Cancer changes many things.

But it doesn’t change the fact that Briella is still a 10-year-old little girl.

She still wants to swim in her madrina’s pool, laugh through movie nights, celebrate birthdays with friends, and simply enjoy being a kid.

Sometimes, though, treatment means those moments have to wait.

A simple birthday party or a day at the pool can become a difficult decision when a weakened immune system turns everyday activities into potential risks.

For her parents, those moments can be just as heartbreaking as the hospital visits.

“One thing I wish more people understood is that when a child is diagnosed with cancer, they don’t stop being a kid,” Ernie shares. “They still want to play basketball, go swimming, watch movies, and celebrate birthdays with their friends.”

“There have been times we’ve had to think twice about letting her go, but at the end of the day she’s a kid and we want to protect her, but we don’t want to keep her in a bubble.”

“They’re fighting cancer, but they’re still just kids, and they deserve every chance to just be kids.”

It’s a reminder that healing isn’t only measured by lab results or treatment milestones.

It’s also measured in laughter.

In birthday candles.

In afternoons spent at the pool.

In the ordinary moments of childhood that every child deserves to experience.

THE GOOD NEWS

Today, Briella is leukemia-free and continues treatment to help prevent the cancer from returning.

When asked what helps her feel brave through treatment, her answer was simple.

“Jesus makes me strong. I just pray and talk to Him.” Briella carries a Jesus plush with her to every appointment, to remind her that she is strong, and not alone.

WHAT CBHA 5K COLOR RUN MEANS NOW

Before leukemia became part of their story, events supporting childhood cancer were simply good causes.

Now, they are personal.

“Before, you think, ‘That’s a good cause,’ but now we understand why it matters because we’ve lived it,” shares Ernie.

The CBHA 5K Color Run is about more than one child. It is about every family sitting beside a hospital bed, every child receiving treatment, and every person who chooses to stand alongside them.

For Briella’s family, this event represents hope, awareness, and the opportunity to give back.

If Gabby and Ernie could encourage another family facing a childhood cancer diagnosis, their message would be clear:

You did not cause this.

They encourage parents to let go of guilt, accept support, and focus on moving forward one day at a time.

“Partner with love and healing, not fear,” Ernie says.

And if you ask Briella what she would tell another child going through treatment, her answer is just as powerful:

“Be strong. Jesus is with you.”

Briella’s journey is a reminder that hope can be found in the hardest places.

This year’s CBHA 5K Color Run is an opportunity to celebrate children like Briella, support families facing childhood illnesses, and remind our community that no one has to walk this journey alone.

Every step matters.

Every story matters.

And every step is filled with hope.