Childhood cancer patients, families celebrated in Long Beach

Battling cancer during childhood

September is childhood cancer awareness month, and these kids show great strength and determination in the face of the disease.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Three-year-old Cataliyah Suazo is already proving that she’s a fighter. The once curly-haired toddler is battling Ewing sarcoma — a rare type of bone cancer.

"She’s very, very smart, very resilient. Unstoppable. I tell her she’s my fire girl," said Cataliyah’s mom, Ashley Suazo. They like to sing Alicia Keys’ song "Girl on Fire" before and after her treatments.

"She sings it on the floor when we’re in the hospital. I’m like, yeah you are," Ashley said.

Cataliyah was diagnosed in March after complaining of on-and-off arm pain. She recently underwent a successful 16-hour surgery, where doctors say 100% of the cancer was removed.

"She has six more months of chemo until she rings the bell," said Ashley.

The Suazo family has their hands full — their older son is non-verbal, and recovering from a broken femur bone. For the first time in a while, the family was able to enjoy a night out, thanks to the nonprofit the Local Hearts Foundation, run by Tito Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is also known as "Hood Santa" for the foundation’s work during the holidays. With the generosity of one single-family donor, he helped organize an event at Mexihana restaurant in Long Beach to celebrate kids and their families during Childhood Cancer Awareness month.

"We wanted to give them a fun night as a family for the moms, the dads, the brothers of the kid that’s battling - something they can remember. A night out," said Rodriguez. "We wanted to let them know that people love them and are thinking about them."

Dozens of people in attendance said they felt that love as they picked out toys and played games with their families under a yellow-and-white outdoor tent next to the restaurant.

The Rosas family drove to Long Beach from Pomona for the event. Eleven-year-old Damian has been fighting leukemia since 2022. His Mom Marlene said events like this mean the world to their family of seven.

"It just makes us feel like there’s people out there that care. I’m just… I’m just very thankful for them," she said.

Damian has dreams of becoming a professional soccer player when he grows up. His family can’t wait for the day that he will be able to call himself "cancer free."

For more information on the Local Hearts Foundation, click here.